Flood — Washoe, Nevada

2024-07-24 · near Sparks, Washoe, Nevada

Event narrative

Law enforcement reported 0.25 mi SW of Sparks, NV, of ponding water over the roadway causing a portion of Rock Blvd to be temporarily closed.

Wider weather episode

Thunderstorms brought locally heavy rain and a flash flood potential along with strong outflow gusts through Wednesday. Abundant moisture and instability were present as noted by the 0.81 PWAT reading from the 23 July 1200Z KREV sounding this morning. Sufficient clearing also helped temperatures to climb well above average for late July. Short term high-resolution HREF guidance showed an uptick in PWATs Wednesday as deeper moisture expanded northward across western NV and far northeast CA

as a ridge axis slid east with upper level southerly flow increasing ahead of a trough advancing into the Pacific Northwest. A few severe storms with gusts to 60 mph and nickel sized hail were forecasted on 23 July. But flash flooding would be the bigger concern as storms moved either slower or anchored near steep terrain and burn scars. For 24 July, mid level S/SW winds increased which increased both storm motions and shear for storm organization. SPC introduced a marginal risk for severe wind gusts near the Oregon border with similar severe weather threats for stronger outflows and blowing dust reaching the Basin and Range. While storms were expected to move faster, training storm cells would continue to bring a heightened threat for flash flooding for areas south of I-80 with focus on the eastern Sierra into southern Lyon and Mineral counties. For 25 July, drier and more stable air confined storms to the Basin and Range where activity was forecast to be isolated but still able to produce gusty outflows and areas of blowing dust.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (39.5308, -119.7650)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1206820. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.