Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Las Vegas, NV

July 16, 2026Mohave County, Arizona

NWS Las Vegas, NV issued this flash flood warning at Jul 16, 2026, 4:04 PM MST for Mohave County, Arizona. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 16, 2026, 4:04 PM MST (23:04 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 2026, 7:00 PM MST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Las Vegas, NV
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

County Mohave County, AZ

The radar

The Las Vegas radar (KESX), 125 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:06 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

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 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 194 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, Las Vegas, NV at 12:00Z on 2026-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 134 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Las Vegas, NV at 12:00Z on 2026-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -26 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
134 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-222 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2942 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-26 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
23 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

373 
WGUS55 KVEF 162304
FFWVEF
AZC015-170200-
/O.NEW.KVEF.FF.W.0004.260716T2304Z-260717T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
404 PM PDT Thu Jul 16 2026

The National Weather Service in Las Vegas has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Central Mohave County in northwestern Arizona...

* Until 700 PM MST.

* At 404 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 0.5 inches of rain have
  fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 0.5 inches in 30 minutes.
  Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing
           flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
           urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Diamond Creek Campground, Grand Canyon Skywalk and Peach Springs.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded
roads. Find an alternate route.

&&

LAT...LON 3553 11333 3548 11345 3555 11370 3571 11385
      3583 11393 3603 11388 3600 11334 3597 11332
      3592 11333 3589 11331 3582 11333

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
EXPECTED RAINFALL RATE...0.5 INCHES IN 30 MINUTES

$$

Stessman
2 follow-up statements
431 
WGUS75 KVEF 170023
FFSVEF

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
523 PM PDT Thu Jul 16 2026

AZC015-170200-
/O.CON.KVEF.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-260717T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Mohave AZ-
523 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MST THIS EVENING
FOR CENTRAL MOHAVE COUNTY...

At 523 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy
rain across the warned area. Up to 1 inch of rain has fallen.
Additional rainfall amounts up to 0.5 inches are possible in the
warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing
         flash flooding.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban
         areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Diamond Creek Campground, Grand Canyon Skywalk and Peach Springs.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded
roads. Find an alternate route.

&&

LAT...LON 3553 11333 3548 11345 3555 11370 3571 11385
      3583 11393 3603 11388 3600 11334 3597 11332
      3592 11333 3589 11331 3582 11333

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

Stessman
607 
WGUS75 KVEF 170152
FFSVEF

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
652 PM PDT Thu Jul 16 2026

AZC015-170202-
/O.EXP.KVEF.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-260717T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Mohave AZ-
652 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR
CENTRAL MOHAVE COUNTY...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

&&

LAT...LON 3553 11333 3548 11345 3555 11370 3571 11385
      3583 11393 3603 11388 3600 11334 3597 11332
      3592 11333 3589 11331 3582 11333

$$

Stessman

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 Jul 16, 12:09 PM MST, 3 hours 55 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • * Isolated to scattered storms continue for the next several days with greatest coverage north and east of Las Vegas. * Near-normal high temperatures persist with warm overnight lows thanks to monsoon moisture.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 12:09 PM MST, 3 hours 55 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
1209 PM PDT Thu Jul 16 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

* Isolated to scattered storms continue for the next several days
  with greatest coverage north and east of Las Vegas.

* Near-normal high temperatures persist with warm overnight lows
  thanks to monsoon moisture.

&&

.DISCUSSION...through Wednesday.

Looks like a rinse-and-repeat forecast over the next several days in
terms of monsoon convection. Moisture stays in place with PWATs
staying in the 1.25"-1.60" range, which is supportive of
showers/storms each day. However, as is often the case in the
monsoon, it is best to take a day-by-day approach as lingering
morning convection and cloud debris can suppress the afternoon
environment in spots. Generally speaking, the favored initiation
points will be the mountains/plateaus of southeastern NV,
northwestern AZ, and eastern San Bernardino County as this is where
the best overlap of moisture and orographic lift exists. During the
late afternoon and evening, storms may move into the valleys, but
this is far from a guarantee in places like Las Vegas and the lower
Colorado River Valley. Main thunderstorm hazards will be flash
flooding and strong outflow winds, which can travel far from their
parent storm.

On the temperature side, expecting highs to remain with ~5 degrees
of climatology throughout the forecast period. Those lucky enough to
get precipitation in the early afternoon will likely end up below
normal, while places farther west are expected remain near or
slightly above normal thanks to less cloud/precipitation coverage.
On the other hand, all of this moisture and convective cloud debris
will tend to keep overnight lows on the warm side with values 5-12
degrees above normal. On top of that, it'll feel rather muggy for
Desert Southwest standards. HeatRisk largely remains in the Moderate
Category (level 2 of 4).

&&

.AVIATION...For Harry Reid...For the 18Z Forecast Package...Lower
confidence TAF forecast due to potential monsoon activity and
outflow boundaries impacting the area after 00z. Winds have remained
light and VRB this morning and should remain this way through at
least 21z when a more S direction should set up. However even after
21z winds still may be VRB at times from SE-SSW with gusts to 20 kts
increasing toward 00z. As convection develops around the valley
after 00Z, winds may become erratic and depend on thunderstorm
activity. Favored a south wind in the afternoon with gusts up to
20KT outside of thunderstorm influence. Higher gusts and brief heavy
rain are possible if storms develop closer to the valley. Due to
consistency in hi-res guidance showing a potential gust front coming
in from the E-NE, added more detail in the 03-07z timeframe to add
VRB gusty winds due to storms and outflow boundaries. Kept cigs VFR,
however sub-vfr cigs are possible briefly if a storm comes directly
overhead. Overall confidence in timing of storms and outflow
boundaries is low as nothing has developed yet upstream, but will
monitor activity through the day and update the TAF accordingly.
Confidence should increase as upstream convection develops and a
better assessment of movement and timing of these storms can be
done. After 07Z, winds may still be VRB at times but with more of an
easterly component at 8-10KT through Friday morning. Expect a
similar set up for Friday with VRB winds in the morning becoming SSE-
SSW in the afternoon with increasing gusts. Monsoonal activity
expected once again after 22z Friday in the vicinity of the Valley
with additional impacts from gust fronts and storms possible.

For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast
California...For the 18Z Forecast Package...Outside of convection,
expect light winds favoring the south to southeast today. Breezy
southeast winds will develop at KBIH this afternoon with gusts over
20 KT through sunset. KDAG will see gusty west winds developing
around 00Z after lighter W to NW winds much of the afternoon.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon,
mainly in the terrain of far southern and eastern Nevada into
western Arizona. Any storms may contain lightning, sudden gusty
outflow winds, brief heavy rain, and CIGs below 10kft. Storms in
Mohave County may cause an east or southeast outflow that pushes
through the Colorado River Valley tonight, which could trigger
additional thunderstorms in or around KEED and KIFP overnight. Some
models also show storms with gusty outflow winds around KDAG around
21Z this afternoon, but confidence in this developing is low. Storms
may linger in southern Nevada longer than the past few days, not
ending until 09Z, which is reflected in the KIFP and KEED TAFs.
Outside of precipitation, CIGs should remain at or above 15kft. A
similar set up is expected for Friday with monsoon activity ramping
up after 21z and possibly lasting into the late evening hours.

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report
any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating
procedures.

&&

DISCUSSION...Woods
AVIATION...Moore

For more forecast information...see us on our webpage:
https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 16, 12:32 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningVEFMohave43 min
Jul 16, 1:21 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryVEFMohave4 hr
Jul 16, 2:30 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryVEFMohave3 hr
Jul 16, 4:46 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryVEFMohave3 hr
Jul 16, 4:54 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryVEFMohave3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.