Severe thunderstorms strike the valley

Friday, Sept. 11, 1998 | 2:33 a.m.

Thunderstorms strong enough to spawn tornadoes struck Southern Nevada Friday afternoon, collapsing two roofs at Sunset and Gibson Roads and turning Henderson intersections into lakes.

The severe storms formed over Henderson and city spokeswoman Vicki Taylor advised people to stay in their homes.

Boulder Highway flooded and cars and trucks stalled in the rushing waters.

Tornadoes in Las Vegas are rare, but they do touch down like they did Friday afternoon in the valley.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning at 12:30 p.m. until 1:15 p.m. after radar showed intense thunderstorms with hail over the eastern valley, Chief Meteorologist Larry Jensen said.

About 1 p.m. a spotter reported two funnel clouds near Nellis Air Force Base as well as hail up to two inches wide.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect until 6 p.m.

The last reported tornadoes touched down on March 30, 1992. During that day five funnel clouds touched down in the Las Vegas Valley. A tornado ripped the roof off the 490 E. Larson Lane home of Keith McKinney. The force of the twister uprooted trees, carried away a steel shed, blew out windows and destroyed parts of the fence. There were no injuries.

A tornado touched down near Ely on June 12, 1988. No injuries were reported.

A tornado struck Lake Mead at Echo Bay, 25 miles north of Boulder City on July 28, 1978. Eight lake-front mobile homes were overturned, but no one was injured.

Perhaps the worst tornado in Southern Nevada swept down Las Vegas Boulevard late on Sept. 17, 1961. Nine people died, including four Nevada Power Company linemen and five Boy Scouts who were drowned in their campground in Zion National Park in Southern Utah.