Flood watch continues through 10 p.m. for southern Nevada

By Dave Toplikar

Published Monday, Aug. 4, 2008 | 8:11 a.m.

Updated Monday, Aug. 4, 2008 | 6:14 p.m.

Watch out if it starts raining tonight while you're driving — southern Nevada could get some flash flooding through the evening.

The weather service issued a statement this afternoon that the flood watch area for portions of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and California includes Lake Mead National Recreation Area and southern Clark County. The watch continues through 10 p.m.

The weather services posted several statements this afternoon:

• At 5:45 p.m., thunderstorms producing heavy rains over the Spring Mountains had dissipated and the flood advisory for south central Nye and west central Clark counties was canceled. The weather service had issued an advisory that rapid rises in in normally dry washes could flood from the heavy rains over Mount Charleston and Cold Creek.

• At 4:16 p.m., radar indicated heavy rain over the flood advisory area, especially near Mountain Pass. Flooding of washes and roadways continues to be a possibility in the area from south of Mountain Pass to Jean.

• At 4:12 p.m., a thunderstorm was stationary along the west slope of the Sheep Range or 20 miles east of Indian Springs, with between 1 and 2 inches of rain indicated by radar.

• At 3:33 p.m., the weather service's radar continued to detect thunderstorms with heavy rain over the Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas. The heaviest rain fell near and along State Highway 156 or within Lee Canyon.

• At 3:27 p.m. a thunderstorm producing heavy rain contues to remain stationary along the west slope of the Sheep Range. The strom was located 20 miles east of Indian Springs.

• At 2:50 p.m., a large area of thunderstorms with heavy rain was falling generally along Interstate 15 in northeast San Bernardino County and southern Clark County, the National Weather service said. Areas getting the heavy rain included Jean, Primm and Mountain Pass, the weather service said.

• At 2:07 p.m., Doppler radar spotted heavy rain from thunderstorms along the east slopes of the Spring Mountains, the weather service said.

"Flooding of washes and roadways is a good possibility east and northeast of Mount Charleston. Lee Canyon Road and Highway 95 between Indian Springs and Lee Canyon Road may be impacted by flooding," the weather service said in its flood advisory statement.

Rainfall rates of between 1 and 2 inches of rain per hour are possible with some storms, the weather service said.

The weather service warns that excessive runoff from heavy rainfall can quickly cause flooding of washes and low-water crossings, which can be miles away from the parent thunderstorm. For that reason, forecasters warn against driving into areas where flooding crosses the road.

Tonight's forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms before 11 p.m., with some storms producing heavy rain. The chance for precipitation tonight is 40 percent. The low will drop to around 78 degrees.

More rain is on the way Tuesday, with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 p.m., forecasters say.

The weather service reported temperature records over the weekend — the record high minimum temperatures for Aug. 2 and Aug. 3.

The low temperature at McCarran International Airport dropped to 89 degrees at 5:42 a.m. Sunday, breaking the previous high minimum for that date, which was 87 degrees set in 1980.

That marked the second day in a row for a record minimum high temperature. That also ties the low temperatures of 89 degrees recorded on Saturday morning for the warmest low temperature so far this year, the weather service said.

The all-time record high minimum for the month of August is 90 degrees, which was set Aug. 12, 2003.