Alert archive / Nevada / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 14, NWS Las Vegas, NV

August 12, 1990Clark County, Nevada

NWS Las Vegas, NV issued this flash flood warning at Aug 12, 1990, 4:23 AM PDT for Clark County, Nevada. It was in force for 79 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 12, 1990, 4:23 AM PDT (11:23 UTC)
Expired
Aug 12, 1990, 5:42 AM PDT
In force
79 min
Issued by
NWS Las Vegas, NV
Area
Whole counties

County Clark County, NV

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Mercury/Desert R, NV (KDRA), launched 00:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 99 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Mercury/Desert R, NV at 00:00Z on 1990-08-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Mercury/Desert R, NV at 00:00Z on 1990-08-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -33 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
0 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-33 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-25 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KLAS 121123
FFWLAS
AZC015-NVC003-121315-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
423 AM PDT SUN AUG 12 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 AM PDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHWEST ARIZONA
 
   ...NORTHWESTERN MOHAVE COUNTY
 
 
IN SOUTH NEVADA
 
   ...SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY...
ART 415 AM PDT THE LAS VEGAS RADAR SHOW A HEAVY THUNDERSORM OVER THE
EXTREME SOUTHERN TIP OF NEVADA. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN BULLHEAD CITY
REPORTS THAT HEAVY RAIN IS OCCURRING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN AND THE
PORTIONS OF HIGHWAY 95 IS CLSED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN DUE TO HEAVY
RUNOFF.
 
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.
DJR/1123Z

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 11, 10:31 PM PDT, 5 hours 52 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS, NV
1026 PM PDT SAT AUG 11 1990

TIME PDT     PLACE                 EVENT
943  PM      LAUGHLIN, NV          LAUGHLIN FIRE STATION REPORTED A
                                   THUNDERSTORM WITH LIGHT RAIN.
945  PM      WEATHER SPOTTER AT    WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTED A THUNDER-
             MESQUITE, NV          WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTED LIGHT RAIN
                                   WITH A THUNDERSTORM.
951  PM      OVERTON BEACH         THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REPORTED
                                   A THUNDERSTORM WITH 50 TO 60 MILES
                                   AN HOUR WIND.
1010 PM      LAKE MEAD MARINAS     THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REPORTED
                                   WINDS 40 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR WITH
                                   GUSTS TO 60 AT ECHO BAY AND OVERTON
                                   BEACH..25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR AT
                                   COTTONWOOD COVE AND 20 TO 30 MILES AN
                                   HOUR AT KATHERINES LANDING. THUNDER-
                                   STORMS NEARBY.

DODD/0529Z
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 11:06 PM PDT, 5 hours 17 minutes before
NVZ-008-009-121200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
1101 PM PDT SAT AUG 11 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS ARE DIMINISHING OVER SOUTHERN NEVADA...

THUNDERSTORMS WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LIGHT RAIN WERE STILL OCCURING
OVER NORTHEAST AND THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TIP OF SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT ABOUT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH LIGHT RAIN THIS EVENING IN SOUTHERN WERE REPORTED AT
TONOPAH IN NYE COUNTY AND PIOCHE AND PANACA IN LINCOLN COUTNTY. ALSO AT
MESQUITE AND LAUGHLIN IN CLARK COUNTY. WINDS 40 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR WITH
GUSTS TO 60 WERE REPORTED BY PARK SERVICE AT ECHO BAY AND OVERTON BEACH.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER SOUTHERN NEVADA INTO SUNDAY
EARLY MORNING HOURS.  SOME OF THEM MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN..STRONG GUSTY
WINDS..SMALL HAIL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

REMEMBER..NEVER TRY TO CROSS FLOODED ROADS ON FOOT OR IN YOUR CAR.

IF LIGHTNING IS NEARBY TAKE SHELTER INDOORS OR IN YOUR CAR. NEVER SEEK
SHELTER FROM LIGHTNING UNDER A TREE.

LISTEN TO COMMERCIAL RADIO...TELEVISION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE
LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
DODD/0604Z
Special weather statement, Aug 12, 12:06 AM PDT, 4 hours 17 minutes before
NVZ009-121200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
1204 PM PDT SUN AUG 12 1990

...LAS VEGAS IS SURROUNDED BY THUNDERSTORMS WITH OCCASIONAL TO FREQUENT
   LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS...

THUNDERSTORMS WITH OCCASIONAL TO FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS IS
OVER THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY.   AT 1138 PM THE WIND GUSTED FROM THE NORTH
TO 44 MILES AN HOUR AT MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.  BLOWING SAND
AND DUST REDUCED VISIBILITY TO 4 MILES.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER SOUTHERN NEVADA INTO THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS.  SOME OF THEM MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN..STRONG GUSTY
WINDS..SMALL HAIL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

REMEMBER..NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADS ON FOOT OR IN YOUR CAR.
IF LIGHTNING IS NEARBY TAKE SHELTER INDOORS OR IN YOUR CAR. NEVER SEEK
SHELTER FROM LIGHTNING UNDER A TREE.

LISTEN TO COMMERCIAL RADIO...TELEVISION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE
LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
DODD/0705Z
Special weather statement, Aug 12, 12:22 AM PDT, 4 hours 1 minute before
NVZ009-121200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
1204 AM PDT SUN AUG 12 1990

...LAS VEGAS IS SURROUNDED BY THUNDERSTORMS WITH OCCASIONAL TO FREQUENT
   LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS...

THUNDERSTORMS WITH OCCASIONAL TO FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS IS
OVER THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY.   AT 1138 PM THE WIND GUSTED FROM THE NORTH
TO 44 MILES AN HOUR AT MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.  BLOWING SAND
AND DUST REDUCED VISIBILITY TO 4 MILES.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER SOUTHERN NEVADA INTO THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS.  SOME OF THEM MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN..STRONG GUSTY
WINDS..SMALL HAIL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

REMEMBER..NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADS ON FOOT OR IN YOUR CAR.
IF LIGHTNING IS NEARBY TAKE SHELTER INDOORS OR IN YOUR CAR. NEVER SEEK
SHELTER FROM LIGHTNING UNDER A TREE.

LISTEN TO COMMERCIAL RADIO...TELEVISION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE
LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
DODD/0705Z
Special weather statement, Aug 12, 1:39 AM PDT, 2 hours 44 minutes before
NVZ009-121300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
0135 AM PDT SUN AUG 12 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS ARE DIMINISHING AND MOVING INTO NORTHWEST ARIZONA...

THUNDERSTORMS WITH OCCASIONAL TO FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS THAT
WERE OVER THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY ARE DIMINISHING AND MOVING INTO NORTWEST
MOHAVE COUNTY IN ARIZONA.

SATALLITE AND WEATHER DETECTION DATA SHOWS THUNDERSTORMS ARE INCREASING
AGAIN OVER LINCOLN COUNTY.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE
SOUTHWARD TO CLARK COUNTY.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER SOUTHEAST NEVADA UNTIL AROUND
SUNRISE.  SOME OF THEM MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN..STRONG GUSTY WINDS..SMALL
HAIL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

REMEMBER..NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADS ON FOOT OR IN YOUR CAR.

IF LIGHTNING IS NEARBY TAKE SHELTER INDOORS OR IN YOUR CAR. NEVER SEEK
SHELTER FROM LIGHTNING UNDER A TREE.

LISTEN TO COMMERCIAL RADIO...TELEVISION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE
LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
DODD/0838Z

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Nevada, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.