The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch today for much of western Nevada, including Carson City, Carson Valley, Lake Tahoe and Dayton areas. Abundant low to mid level moisture from sustained south-southeast flow will combine with daytime heating to produce thunderstorms throughout throughout the region.
The Flash Flood Watch runs until 9 p.m. Monday night and includes the following areas: Lake Tahoe Basin, Alpine and Mono counties, Carson City, Douglas County, Mineral and southern Lyon counties including Virginia City, Smith Valley, Yerington.
Slow moving storms in the Sierra and far western Nevada could produce very heavy rain over areas that have already received abundant rain the past few days. This heavy rain on already wet soils, especially near steep terrain and burn scars in Alpine County near Markleeville from previous wildfires, may cause flash flooding with mud and debris flows this afternoon and evening, according to the weather service.
The area of greatest threat for flash flooding will be from near Mammoth Lakes north through Mono and Alpine counties, western Mineral County, Lyon County, the Sierra front area of far western Nevada and the Lake Tahoe Basin, the weather service states.
The possibility for flash flooding is not as great for northeast California, northwest Nevada, and the western Nevada Basin and Range, but caution should be exercised in these areas as locally heavy rain could cause ponding of water on roadways. The weather services advises to “turn around, don’t drown” when roads are flooded.
A Flash Flood Watch means that flooding of small streams, creeks and other drainage areas is possible within the watch area. People in the watch area should monitor www.wrh.noaa.gov/rev/Reno for updates and be prepared for immediate action should heavy rains and flooding occur or a Flash Flood Warning is issued.