Best Hilary advice: Hunker down, make smart decisions

It has the potential to be a storm unlike any seen or felt before in the Las Vegas Valley.

After light, but steady rain across the entire region much of Saturday, conditions are expected to intensify Sunday.

Some are calling it a storm you see once every 100 years. Best to ride it out at home.

“The most important safety message we can tell the public at this time as we brace for impacts from Hurricane Hilary is to stay home if you can during this event, and don’t drive, walk or ride through flooded areas or flood control channels,” Clark County Fire Chief John Steinbeck said.

Hilary, downgraded to a Category 1 storm Saturday evening, had winds of 85 mph and was forecast to plow into Baja California late Saturday evening.

Sunday morning it was expected to hit the U.S. mainland east of San Diego as the first tropical storm to visit Southern California since 1939.

Prolonged storm

Movement can change as a storm crosses jagged land, so timing is unclear. But by sometime Sunday morning rain and wind are expected to ramp up in Southern Nevada.

“A substantial moisture surge driven by Hurricane Hilary will result in several days with bands of moderate to heavy rainfall over the weekend into early next week,” states a National Weather Service flood watch advisory. “Impacts will become more significant

with each passing day as soils become saturated, resulting in increased runoff.”

That’s not the typical quick monsoon downpour in one spot and full sunshine a few acres away. That’s a drenching over a prolonged time — with significant and perhaps dire consequences.

Emergency officials, law enforcement, Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office, volunteers and countless others have been working days to prepare for the worst. Crews from Pahrump to Logandale have been working to be prepared.

Heavy roadwork equipment has been inventoried, and in some cases strategically located where county crews believe it may be most needed. Emergency shelters have been readied. National Guardsmen have been activated and deployed.

Whether all the preparations are needed remains to be seen, but better to do so than to be caught helpless.

Flood tunnel concerns

Likely the most vulnerable population are the valley’s homeless — especially those who deem our flood channels and tunnels sufficient to inhabit.

Every monsoon storm of any significance usually causes a swift water rescue or two, often with deadly consequences.

Vegas Strong outreach crews have spent the past few days trying to spread the word to get people out of their potentially dangerous environs.

“We often lose someone in the tunnels in these big rains,” said David Marlon, executive director of Vegas Stronger. “We are always trying to pull people out of the tunnels and into help, but it seems Mother Nature is about to make a big push.”

Marlon said staffers in four vans reached out to tunnel dwellers and larger homeless camps Friday. The effort was to continue.

“They don’t use the internet much or watch TV so word of mouth is really powerful to get to them,” he said.

Clark County staffers also have been working with HELP of Southern NV’s Mobile Outreach Team to clear flood channels.

Mountain concerns

Rainfall could be heavy in the Spring Mountains.

“Outdoor recreation will be very dangerous in the Spring Mountains including Mt. Charleston and Red Rock, and is strongly ill-advised,” said the weather alert.

Most recreation areas have been closed, including Lake Mead’s total shutdown Saturday through at least Monday.

With the storm arriving shortly, please monitor forecasts, cellphone alerts and any other quick means of communication. Should you see a flash flood warning for your area, take action that might save your life or those precious to you.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on X.