Nevada, 2002

Flash Flood in Nevada, June 21, 2002

June 21, 2002 · NWS REV · 1 event in 1 county or zone

m. m.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1.0 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS REV wrote it up.

Flash flooding struck the Spanish Springs area when an estimated 2 inches of rain fell between 6:20 p.m. and 7:20 p.m. PDT. Most flooding occurred on the west side of Spanish Springs valley where heavy rain fell on hills left nearly barren from a recent wildfire. Water nearly two feet deep flooded streets and yards. Landscaping, sidewalks and streets were damaged by floodwaters and debris. Over one-half million dollars in damage occurred at the new Spanish Springs High School where classrooms, hallways, offices, two gymnasiums and an athletic field were damaged by flooding and mud.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Reno, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 21, 1:45 PM PST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 21, 1:45 PM PST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
WESTERN NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
245 PM PDT FRI JUN 21 2002

UPPER LOW MOVING INTO THE GREAT BASIN TONIGHT.  SOME DRYING LIKELY
FROM THE WEST.  SOME AFTERNOON CONVECTION MAY LINGER NR THE OREGON
BORDER ON SATURDAY.  AFTER SATURDAY AND DRY WESTERLY FLOW DEVELOPS
OVER THE AREA UNDER A WEAK RIDGE.  TEMPS SHOULD BE NEAR OR ABOVE
NORMAL NEXT FEW DAYS.

IN THE EXTENDED...UPPER RIDGE FORECAST TO AMPLFY OVER EASTERN GREAT
BASIN NEXT WEEK RESULTING IN TEMPERATURES ABOUT 5-10 DEGREES ABOVE
SEASONAL NORMALS. MAIN L/WV TROUGH REMAINS IN GFALSK NR 160W WHILE
SPLIT ALONG W COAST ALLOWS WEAK UPPER LOW TO FORM ALONG CENTRAL CA
COAST. AMPLFIED RDG AND LOW COMBO WILL BRING S-SE FLOW WITH MOISTENG
AND DESTABLIZATION FORECAST DURING TUE-FRI PERIOD. WILL KEEP SLGT
CHC AFTN/EVE TSTMS OVER MINERAL AND MONO COUNTIES ON TUESDAY ALONG
WITH LASSEN AND NRN WASHOE. TSTM COVERAGE EXPANDED TO CHC CATEGORY
AND PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES WED-FRI WITH CONTINUED MOISTENING UNDER SELY
FLOW AROUND CA LOW. TRC

.REV...NONE.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Washoe

When
June 21, 5:20 PM PST to 6:20 PM PST
Where
Washoe County, Southwest Portion
Property damage
$1.0 million
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.665, -119.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Nevada in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, June 2002

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5301745.