The National Weather Service’s Las Vegas bureau said a flash flood watch is in effect for the entire area under its purview, including downtown Las Vegas.
“The atmosphere is quite moist and unstable and we will see more sunshine than we did yesterday, which should lead to more widespread heavy rain producing thunderstorms,” it said on its Facebook page. The flash flood warning is in effect through 11 p.m., July 22.
The warning comes after “crazy flash flooding“ on the Las Vegas strip on July 20.
One area outside the city at particular risk is Mount Charleston, which has blackened earth from a wildfire that burned 28,000 acres. That blackened earth forms a type of residue that reflects water, and since most of the vegetation was burned the water would quickly move to other places, weather meteorologist Ryan Metzger told the Las Vegas Sun.
“In a mountainous area like in Mount Charleston, if the water doesn’t go in the ground, it goes straight down,” Metzger said.
Metzger said potential monsoon rains will continue throughout the week.
