Storms wash away more rain records

Eric Leake and Mary Manning

Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005 | 11:19 a.m.

With 10 more months to go in the year, today could be the day Las Vegas ties -- or breaks -- the average annual rainfall.

As of 10:30 a.m. today, the valley was 0.08 of an inch away from a normal year's rainfall of 4.49 inches, with 0.33 of an inch recorded Tuesday. The average rainfall for Feb. 21 is 1.14 inches, meteorologist Larry Jensen said.

Scattered showers and possibly afternoon thunderstorms are forecast for today, service meteorologist Heather Davis said. That could be enough to push the valley past the yearly average if the rain falls in the right places, she said. The official rain gauge for the valley is at McCarran International Airport.

A near year's worth of rain in less than two months has some residents wallowing in the wetness while others are struggling with flooded properties and streets and an avalanche danger has arisen again in the nearby mountains.

Rising waters also caused a Las Vegas cemetery to flood Tuesday morning, as runoff believed to be from neighboring construction sites came into the Palm Northwest Cemetery in the 6000 block of Jones Boulevard, Ned Phillips, a spokesman for Palm Mortuaries, said.

By 8 this morning, the water, which had reached 4 inches deep in places, began receding, although workers were still pumping water from the cemetery, he said.

The flooding is not expected to present a health hazard because bodies are buried in sealed concrete boxes, Phillips said.

While the company will not be able to fully assess the damage until after the water recedes, Phillips said it is likely the headstones will need to be repositioned.

"We take great pride in our property," Phillips said. "... But how do you prevent 3 inches of rainfall?"

Preventing is one thing; making sure it doesn't accumulate is another, said John Mohler, who lives west of Lone Mountain on Alexander Road.

His complaint was that his street remained flooded on Tuesday and prevented some residents of the area from reaching their homes.

"There are places where if you had a small car, you weren't getting home," Mohler said. He added that he drives a large Ford pickup truck and had no problem on the streets.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Mohler said he had seen worse flooding, though not often.

"But it does happen," he said with a laugh.

Chryshaundra Donald, who lives on Charleston Boulevard near Boulder Highway, said the weather also delays her bus commute. And, she said, on the way to the bus stop she is splashed by passing cars.

A few diehards willing to brave the rain had Sunset Park to themselves Tuesday evening.

"The dogs have fun, that's why we're here," Vikki Chubeck said from under an umbrella in the dog park. "We have our best times actually when it's like this."

Chubeck's dog, a German Shepherd named Jeenie, wrestled with Heather Hendrix's Boxer-mix, Leah, in the rain.

"I bring her out rain, cold, or heat. She likes the rain," Hendrix said of Leah.

Hendrix is from San Francisco. She stood without a raincoat or umbrella and said the rain doesn't bother or surprise her.

"What surprises me is how people react to it like they're almost frightened -- and the driving," she said.

Caitlin Viluan, 6, displayed a plastic bag holding nine trout and explained the difference between fish and man.

"Fish like rain because fish don't get wet. They're underwater," Caitlin said.

She and some friends, with their parents, fished in the rain as long as they could. With nobody else on the pond, they caught more fish than expected.

Caitlin said she does like to get wet in the rain but even she understood the downside of accidents, "If you run fast, that means you slip," and floods, "When it comes down, it comes up."

In another problem area, the U.S. Forest Service issued late Tuesday a notice of extreme avalanche hazard for Kyle and Lee Canyons including the backcountry in the Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas.

Forest Service District Ranger Tim Short said the possible avalanches have a hair trigger. With an extreme avalanche hazard, avalanches are certain on some snow-covered slopes and large, destructive avalanches are possible, he said.

"Safety awareness is our No. 1 priority," Short said. Backcountry travel should be avoided.

Last month a 13-year-old boy was swept to his death in an avalanche at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort.

The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort reported 28 inches of new snow in the past four days. In 24 hours from Monday until Tuesday at 7 a.m., the resort got 6 inches of new snow, making a 138-inch base.

Sixty miles north in Mesquite, which is still working to rebuild after the flooded Virgin River ripped through the town last month, watched the most recent rains with wary eyes.

Mesquite Mayor Bill Nicholes said no significant flooding had been reported Tuesday afternoon.

Sun reporters Stephen Curran and David Kihara contributed to this story.