Heavy rain, flooding prompt call to stay off Charleston near Rainbow
A thunderstorm that moved across the Las Vegas Valley Monday night unleashed an onslaught of flooding, hail and strong winds.
Parts of the valley were under a flash flood warning until at least 9:15 p.m, according to the National Weather Service, which predicts below-normal temperatures for the rest of the week.
Firefighters from Las Vegas and Clark County responded to at least seven swift water rescues in the central valley as far south as Flamingo Road, Clark County Fire Department logs showed. And manhole covers were dislodged across the valley during Monday’s storm.
The Las Vegas Fire Department warned drivers not to use Charleston Boulevard from Rainbow Boulevard east due to flooding. By 9 p.m. waters were receding, and no one was injured in flash flood rescues.
The storm left thousands of Clark County NV Energy customers without power about 8 p.m., the electric company’s site showed.
The rain also brought its usual havoc to valley roadways: there were at least two rollover crashes on U.S Highway 95 and many more crashes on highways and streets, traffic monitoring sites showed.
Onlookers reported flowing water between 1 to 1.5 feet near the intersection of Edna Avenue and Jones Boulevard in the west valley, the weather service said. Rain accumulation near Oakey and Rainbow boulevards totaled .83 inches in just 15 minutes.
Hail the size of a quarter was reported at the 215 Beltway and Cheyenne Avenue, the weather service said.
Temperatures should gradually fall throughout the rest of the week with a “dry-out” trend. “After three weeks of very hot weather, I think we’ll take this,” meteorologist Chad Shafer said.
Chances for rain remain at 20 percent today.
“Some will see it, most will not,” Shafer said.
Today should be pretty similar to Monday with a high of 102 and a low of 81. Wednesday will have a high of 100 degrees and a low of 78. Thursday and Friday will be about the same with a high of 96 and a low of 75.
Review-Journal writer Cassandra Taloma contributed to this report.
Contact Ricardo Torres at rtorres@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find him on Twitter: @rickytwrites.
