Another push of monsoon moisture led to isolated severe weather and flash flooding over the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin. The episode continued through August 5th.
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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.
The episode as NWS VEF wrote it up.
Another push of monsoon moisture led to isolated severe weather and flash flooding over the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin. The episode continued through August 5th.
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 Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 28, 10:10 PM PST, 17 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 1110 PM PDT THU JUL 28 2016 .SYNOPSIS...The weekend and next week will bring relief from the very hot temperatures experienced the past several days although increasing humidity could make it feel a bit sticky at times. Expect isolated to scattered thunderstorm activity across parts of the area through the next week. && .UPDATE...Large and intense thunderstorm complex which has inpacted the Phoenix metro area earlier this evening is now progressing into southwest Arizona. Meanwhile, a very strong outflow boundary is pushing north from this complex and is rapidly approaching Lake Havasu and the Wikieup into Kingman Corridor. Upstream observations indicate widespread wind gusts 35-50 mph range so we will need to monitor the intesity of the winds as they enter into our southern forecast area in the next hour. It's possible we could see some severe winds from this feature along the Colorado River and I-40 corridor. This same outflow will likely initiate renewed convection across Mohave county, and I have boosted PoPs for the overnight across that area. -Outler- && .SHORT TERM...through Monday night. Once clouds scattered out over the Las Vegas Valley, temperatures shot up and were just shy of the forecasted high for the day at the airport. Thunderstorm activity began south of I-15 over the Mohave Preserve late this morning and coverage has since expanded to many other areas. Further development is anticipated through the afternoon hours in these areas and elsewhere. Storms are moving slowly and are capable of producing heavy rain in a short period of time which could lead to localized flash flooding and strong winds. Additional cooling is expected for the weekend with temperatures settling back to around normal by Sunday. The 110+ degree temperature streak in Vegas now stands at 9 days...1 day shy of a record 10 days. Saturday's forecasted high is 108 with a low probability of reaching 110 if early cloud cover holds the low temperature up and then skies clear and no additional cloud cover develops over McCarran during the day allowing full daytime heating. Thunderstorm coverage on Saturday will be mainly over the eastern half of the area with the best instability and deeper moisture over the southeast portion of the CWA. Localized flash flooding will be the primary concern. However, there is greater potential for more widespread flash flooding over the southeastern CWA including southern Mohave and SE San Bernardino counties. Sunday and Monday should bring more more of the same over roughly the eastern half of the forecast area. With the monsoonal flow well entrenched in these areas, very efficient rain producing processes will be in play and flash flooding will continue to be a concern. .LONG TERM...Tuesday through Friday. The upper level pattern next week will be characterized by broad, but low amplitude troughing across the Pacific Northwest and a slow decrease in the strength of high pressure across the southwest US. This will result in temperatures near or even slightly below normal. It will also leave the door open for monsoon moisture and diurnal convection to continue to impact the region through next week. At this time, there is little unanimous support for any focusing features or major pushes that jump out in model guidance. Therefore, the latest extended forecast has broad-brushed precipitation chances with the best chances over Mohave County, decreasing to the west. && .AVIATION...For McCarran...Diurnally-driven winds at or below 10 kts and VFR conditions will be the predominant weather at the terminal through tonight. However, isolated storms in the higher terrain surrounding the valley will generate outflows that may affect the terminal at times this evening. Although a storm affecting the terminal is unlikely, this cannot be ruled out. Tomorrow, a stronger south to southwest wind should develop by afternoon. Chances for storms increase this weekend with impacts to air traffic possible. For the rest of southern Nevada...northwest Arizona...and southeast California...Isolated/scattered storms will affect the high terrain in much of the area through this evening, with outflows producing gusty/erratic winds potentially affecting the TAF sites. Chances for storms increase across the entire area this weekend, with convective turbulence, locally lower CIGs/visibility, brief/gusty winds, and lightning all threats. Light/diurnally-driven winds and VFR conditions should occur well away from any storms tonight with stronger S to SW winds becoming established Saturday afternoon. && .FIRE WEATHER...Scattered thunderstorm activity is expected through next week across roughly the eastern half of the forecast area with more isolated activity across the western areas. Strong winds and very heavy rainfall will be the primary concerns. Temperatures will begin cooling to more typical mid summer heat over the weekend and throughout next week. Winds overall should be generally light although thunderstorm outflows will result in periods of strong...erratic winds. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report significant weather according to standard operating procedures. && Short Term/Fire Weather...Salmen Long Term...Wolcott Aviation...Shafer For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: http://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 159 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:41 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds blew a large tree down onto Highway 395.
Two feet of water covered Hobbs Circle. Water in the storm drain blew off a manhole cover and spouted like a geyser.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in California, July 2016
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: 646649, 646652.