Flash flood watch is issued for Clark County

Thursday, July 29, 1999 | 11:15 a.m.

A flash flood watch was issued for Clark County through midnight tonight as thunderstorms were expected to cross the valley, bringing at times heavy rains and possible flooding.

The new rain could topple the record for rainfall in July, set in 1984. Already one July weather record for Las Vegas fell on Wednesday when the temperature topped out at less than 100 degress at McCarran International Airport.

The 97-degree high was the 19th sub-century day of the month. The National Weather Service said that broke the record for fewest number of 100-degree-plus days in July.

The previous record for sub-100-degree days in July was set in 1984. A high of 97 is expected for today as moisture-filled clouds hovered over Las Vegas this morning and light rain fell in Henderson.

The rainfall projected for today was expected to be greater than 0.30 of an inch, which would break another July mark set in 1984 -- most moisture, at 2.48 inches.

So far this month, 2.18 inches of rain have been recorded at McCarran's official weather gauge, including 1.29 inches during a devastating July 8 storm that flooded the valley, destroyed homes and caused at least two deaths.

"Everyone is asking if today's rain is going to be like July 8, but that was such a rare event that we won't see one like it every couple of weeks," Las Vegas-based Weather Service forecaster John Adair said today.

"However, it is a definite possibility that we will get more than 0.30 inches of rain from this storm and break the record for the wettest July."

Early this morning, a gas leak forced the evacuation of about 20 residents at the Miracle Mile Mobile Home Park -- one of the hardest hit areas of the July 8 storm where two homes were destroyed.

A resident was pulling into his driveway at the park just before 8 a.m. today when he accidentally punched the accelerator, ran over his gas meter and an electrical line and hit a shed, Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said.

As a precaution fire crews evacuated the residents of about 12 homes at the park, Leinbach said. Southwest Gas Corp. plugged the leak and most residents were allowed back into their homes after 9 a.m. No one was injured.

The incident, though not weather related, caused speculation as to whether many of those same residents would have to be evacuated twice in one day should the storm again bring significant floodwaters to that area.

Adair said the storm is caused by the southerly flow of moisture from Mexico, which each July and August brings a monsoon season to the Las Vegas desert.

Scattered showers of light to moderate intensity developed this morning, extending from west of the Overton arm on Lake Mead to the McCullough mountains southeast of Henderson.

Today's storm is expected to bring rain ranging from 0.10 to 0.25 inches per hour, the Weather Service said.

And more rain is projected for the weekend, Adair said, noting that there could be as much as a 30 percent to 40 percent chance of afternoon and evening thundershowers Saturday through Monday.

The Weather Service forecast for today calls for partly cloudy skies with scattered showers and thunderstorms into the late night. Highs could range from 92 to 102 degrees.

Partly cloudy skies with scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms are expected for Friday, with highs ranging from 96 to 106 degrees. In addition to the stormy conditions Saturday through Monday, highs of 97 to 107 are expected. Sun reporter

Cheryl Miller contributed to this report.