Holiday travelers to Southern Cal could face slides

Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 | 9:43 a.m.

The warm, dry weather left Las Vegas last night as a winter storm system replaced it with rain in the valley, snow in the mountains and cooler temperatures that will continue through next week.

Travelers going between Southern California and Southern Nevada for the three-day President's Day holiday could face mud and rock slides, especially in mountain passes on Interstate 15 in California.

The U.S. Geological Survey issued an unusual high-threat alert for mud slides Thursday for all of Southern California, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

At least an inch of rain could fall by Saturday, followed by more rain on Monday, Szymanski said, prompting the federal agency to issue the warning.

"If you are traveling, be especially careful at night as mud slides are not easily seen and occur with no warning at all," Szymanski said.

Former Nevada Test Site seismologist Jim O'Donnell called the mud slide alert "really odd."

The geological survey may be issuing the alert after the devastating Dec. 26 tsunami following a 9.3 magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean, O'Donnell said.

"They do that (issue alerts) rarely," O'Donnell said. "They are probably being more careful."

The rainfall from what Szymanski called an exceptionally large storm is coming from a subtropical stream of moisture stretching across the Pacific Ocean from Indonesia near the equator, according to the National Weather Service.

The stream of moisture has been gathering punch as it swings northeast through Mexico and into Southern Nevada.

Daytime temperatures will be in the 50s and lows should stay in the 40s.

The weather service issued a winter storm warning for the Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas and the Sheep Mountains north of Las Vegas, meteorologist Jon Adair said.

Up to 12 inches of snow is possible above 7,000 feet in the mountains with more snow falling at higher elevations.

The weather service has not issued an avalanche watch or warning for the Spring Mountains.

The Las Vegas Valley can expect between a half and 1 inch of rain into Saturday, meteorologist Donald Maker said.

The rain will continue throughout the weekend, with no end in sight until late next week.