Alert archive / Nevada / Flash Flood Warnings in 2015

Flash Flood Warning 162, NWS Las Vegas, NV

October 18, 2015Esmeralda County, Nye County, Nevada; Inyo County, California

NWS Las Vegas, NV issued this flash flood warning at Oct 18, 2015, 7:18 PM PDT for Esmeralda County, Nye County, Nevada; Inyo County, California. It was in force for 3 hr. 6 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Oct 18, 2015, 7:18 PM PDT (02:18 UTC)
Expired: Oct 18, 2015, 10:15 PM PDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Las Vegas, NV
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Inyo County, CA, Esmeralda County, NV, Nye County, NV

The radar

The Edwards AFB radar (KEYX), 235 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:20 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Oct 18, 8:00 PM PDT	FLASH FLOOD	30 Nnw Stovepipe Wells, CA	THE MESQUITE SPRING CAMPGROUND WAS BEING EVACUATED TO THE GRAPEVINE RANGER STATION DUE TO FLOODING.
Oct 18, 9:34 PM PDT	FLASH FLOOD	32 Nnw Stovepipe Wells, CA	SCOTTYS CASTLE ROAD CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING
Oct 18, 9:40 PM PDT	FLASH FLOOD	30 Nnw Stovepipe Wells, CA	THE GRAPEVINE RANGER STATION WAS BEING EVACUATED DUE TO FLOODING.
Oct 18, 9:40 PM PDT	FLASH FLOOD	30 Nnw Stovepipe Wells, CA	THE GRAPEVINE RANGER STATION WAS EVACUATED DUE TO FLOODING. EIGHT VEHICLES FULL OF VISITORS AND THREE PARK RANGERS WERE STRANDED OVERNIGHT IN THE UBEHEBE CRATER AREA.
Oct 18, 9:45 PM PDT	FLASH FLOOD	16 Sse Oriental Wash Ra, CA	ABOUT 20 POWER POLES WERE KNOCKED DOWN OR DAMAGED IN DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK DUE TO FLOODING. SCOTTYS CASTLE ROAD HAS TRENCHES UP TO 6 FEET DEEP IN IT IN GRAPEVINE CANYON. AT SCOTTYS CASTLE THE POOL WAS FILLED WITH MUDDY WATER. THE HACIENDA BUILDING HERE IS
Oct 18, 9:45 PM PDT	FLASH FLOOD	31 Nnw Stovepipe Wells, CA	DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REPORTED TWO FEET OF MUD AND DEBRIS INSIDE SCOTTY'S CASTLE VISITOR'S CENTER. TIME ESTIMATED.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 6 storm reports to this flash flood warning; the first came 42 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Las Vegas, NV (KVEF), launched 00:00Z, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 162 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 725 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -98 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1751 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -15 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.

809 
WGUS55 KVEF 190218
FFWVEF
CAC027-NVC009-023-190515-
/O.NEW.KVEF.FF.W.0162.151019T0218Z-151019T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
718 PM PDT SUN OCT 18 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS  HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTH CENTRAL INYO COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA...
  SOUTHEASTERN ESMERALDA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA...
  WEST CENTRAL NYE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA...

* UNTIL 1015 PM PDT
    
* AT 716 PM PDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED NEARLY STATIONARY 
  THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN OVER SCOTTYS CASTLE ROAD AT 
  RATES EXCEEDING 1"/HR. THIS AREA HAS SEEN SEVERAL ROUNDS OF HEAVY 
  RAIN TODAY. FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  BEATTY...SCOTTYS JUNCTION...SCOTTYS CASTLE AND MESQUITE SPRINGS
  CAMPGROUND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

&&

LAT...LON 3753 11683 3706 11648 3666 11743 3709 11775

$$

PULLIN

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.

NWS Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Oct 18, 3:35 PM PDT, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 18, 3:35 PM PDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
335 PM PDT SUN OCT 18 2015

.SYNOPSIS...A BROAD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND
NEVADA WILL BRING NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION
THROUGH THIS EVENING...ALONG WITH A THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING. STORM
COVERAGE WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT. ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCES WILL PROVIDE UNSETTLED AND COOL CONDITIONS INTO THE
MIDDLE OF THE COMING WEEK.
&&

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

A WIDE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM EASTERN SAN BERNARDINO UP
THROUGH CLARK INTO LINCOLN COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON. A SECONDARY BAND
EXTENDED FROM CENTRAL INYO COUNTY UP THROUGH CENTRAL NYE COUNTY.
THIS WAS GENERALLY PLAYING OUT AS FORECAST AND ONLY MINOR
ADJUSTMENTS WERE NEEDED TO THE INHERITED POP/WX GRIDS. FOR THOSE
TRYING TO FOLLOW THE SITUATION USING THE NWS LAS VEGAS RADAR...THE
INTERMITTENT DATA OUTAGES ARE DUE TO A TELCO ISSUE AND THIS PROBLEM
WILL NOT BE FIXED UNTIL MONDAY. THESE BANDS WILL CONTINUE PUSHING TO
THE EAST THIS EVENING AHEAD OF VORT MAX EJECTING INLAND ASSOCIATED
WITH THE BROAD INCOMING LOW WHICH WAS CENTERED OVER CENTRAL AND
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. CONVECTION WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT BEHIND THIS
VORT MAX.

A SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC NEAR 45N/135W WILL THEN
DIVE DOWN THE BACK SIDE OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MONDAY AND DIG IT
TOWARD YUMA ARIZONA AS IT SPINS UP INTO A CLOSED LOW. THE SYSTEM
WILL THEN CIRCULATE OVER THAT AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY LEADING TO A
CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER MOHAVE...CLARK...LINCOLN
AND EASTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES EACH DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL HOLD
CLOSE TO CURRENT LEVELS...REMAINING A LITTLE BELOW NORMAL THROUGH
THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PATTERN SHOULD BECOME FAVORABLE FOR DRIER NORTHWEST FLOW...WHICH
SHOULD HELP BRING RELIEF FROM A PROLONGED PERIOD OF UNSETTLED AND
WET WEATHER. SHORTWAVES MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW COULD BRING ENHANCED
WINDS TO THE REGION AT TIMES. OTHERWISE EXPECT CALMER AND SLIGHTLY
WARMER CONDITIONS THAN THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK.
&&

.AVIATION...FOR MCCARRAN...SOUTHWEST WINDS 12-16KTS WITH GUSTS TO
25. SHRA/TSRA WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY...INCLUDING
IN AND AROUND THE KLAS TERMINAL THROUGH AT LEAST 01Z...PERSISTING A
COUPLE EXTRA HOURS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. CIGS OF 3-5K FEET
ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS ACTIVITY ALONG WITH MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS.
STORMS COULD BRING GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 35 KTS...AS WELL AS
REDUCED VSBY...3 SM OR LESS...DUE TO HEAVY RAIN. SLIGHT CHANCES FOR
SHRA/TSRA WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY...MAINLY IN THE MOUNTAINS
SURROUNDING THE VALLEY AND IN THE EASTERN CORRIDORS.

FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA...MULTIPLE BANDS OF SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
HAVE DEVELOPED AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH TO THE EAST FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND INTO EVENING...PARTICULARLY IN
SOUTHERN NEVADA. ONE OR TWO OF THESE BANDS WILL PUSH INTO NORTHWEST
ARIZONA DURING THE EVENING HOURS. GUSTS EXCEEDING 35 KTS ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THUNDERSTORMS. CIGS WILL MAINLY BE 3K-6K FEET IN AND
NEAR SHRA/TSRA OTHERWISE 6K-10K FEET. VSBY MAY BE REDUCED TO MVFR OR
LOWER AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS ARE LIKELY IN AND NEAR ANY
SHRA/TSRA. OUTSIDE OF TSRA EXPECT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO INCREASE TO 10-
20 KTS WITH GUSTS 20-30 KTS INTO THE EVENING. WINDS WILL BE LIGHTER
ON MONDAY...AND MAINLY DIURNALLY DRIVE. CHANCES FOR SHRA/TSRA WILL
CONTINUE INTO MID WEEK...MAINLY FROM LAS VEGAS EAST. &&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED
ALTHOUGH SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
&&

SHORT TERM...ADAIR
LONG TERM...WOLCOTT
AVIATION...CZYZYK

FOR MORE FORECAST INFORMATION...SEE US ON OUR WEBPAGE:

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 18, 3:09 PM PDT, 4 hours 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
309 PM PDT SUN OCT 18 2015

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0308 PM     FLASH FLOOD      11 E HIKO               37.61N 115.02W
10/18/2015                   LINCOLN            NV   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER FLOWING OVER US93 IS STARTING TO WASH
            PAVEMENT OUT AT MILE MARKER 63. WATER
            CROSSING ROAD AT NUMEROUS LOCATIONS.

&&

CFS

Local storm report, Oct 18, 4:01 PM PDT, 3 hours 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
401 PM PDT SUN OCT 18 2015

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0340 PM     FLASH FLOOD      HIKO                    37.60N 115.22W
10/18/2015                   LINCOLN            NV   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            STATE ROUTE 318 AROUND HIKO WAS FLOODED.
            WATER UP TO 6 INCHES DEEP FLOWING ACROSS THE
            ROAD.

&&

NWS LAS VEGAS NV
IRIS SYSTEM

Local storm report, Oct 18, 4:54 PM PDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
454 PM PDT SUN OCT 18 2015

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0312 PM     FLASH FLOOD      6 WNW LENWOOD           34.92N 117.19W
10/18/2015                   SAN BERNARDINO     CA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            CHP REPORTED DEBRIS ACROSS STATE ROUTE 58
            WEST OF BARSTOW.

&&

JA

Local storm report, Oct 18, 5:03 PM PDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
503 PM PDT SUN OCT 18 2015

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0433 PM     FLASH FLOOD      13 N YERMO              35.09N 116.84W
10/18/2015                   SAN BERNARDINO     CA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            CHP REPORTED FORT IRWIN ROAD COVERED IN
            NEARLY A FOOT OF MUD AND DEBRIS.

&&

JA

Local storm report, Oct 18, 6:00 PM PDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
600 PM PDT SUN OCT 18 2015

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0525 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 ENE STOVEPIPE WELLS   36.63N 117.05W
10/18/2015                   INYO               CA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTS FLASH
            FLOODING ACROSS CA HWY 190 EAST OF STOVEPIPE
            WELLS.

&&

JP

Local storm report, Oct 18, 6:33 PM PDT, 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
633 PM PDT SUN OCT 18 2015

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0630 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 SSW MOAPA             36.65N 114.61W
10/18/2015                   CLARK              NV   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTS HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD CLOSED
            1.5 TO 2 MILES N/W OF I-15 DUE TO 4.5 FEET
            OF WATER FLOWING OVER ROAD

&&

CFS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Las Vegas, NV issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Oct 18, 6:27 PM PDT	Areal Flood Advisory	VEF	Clark	63 min
Oct 18, 6:44 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	VEF	Clark, Lincoln	3 hr
Oct 18, 6:58 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	VEF	Clark	3 hr
Oct 18, 7:45 PM PDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	VEF	Clark	30 min
Oct 18, 10:11 PM PDT	Flash Flood Warning	VEF	Esmeralda, Nye	4 hr
Oct 18, 11:17 PM PDT	Areal Flood Warning	VEF	Clark	6 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Nevada, 2015 Flash Flood Warnings in California, 2015 Every flash flood warning in 2015

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.