Flash Flood Watch in effect for the high desert
Deep monsoonal moisture will bring the potential for thunderstorms this afternoon with moderate to heavy rainfall. Storms could create 1-2 inches of rainfall in a short period of time.
A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for the San Bernardino high desert. Cities included in the watch are Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, and Twentynine Palms.
The full text warning has been copied below.
Flash Flood Watch
…POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN AND
MOJAVE DESERT TODAY…
.SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES COULD POTENTIALLY ORGANIZE STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND THIS EVENING. PLENTY OF MOISTURE IS IN PLACE
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN AND MOJAVE DESERT WITH FLASH
FLOODING THE PRIMARY CONCERN.
NORTHWEST PLATEAU-LAKE HAVASU AND FORT MOHAVE-NORTHWEST DESERTS-
LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA-EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES-
OWENS VALLEY-WHITE MOUNTAINS OF INYO COUNTY-
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK-WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT-
EASTERN MOJAVE DESERT-MORONGO BASIN-CADIZ BASIN-
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY-UPPER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-
ESMERALDA AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTY-LINCOLN COUNTY-
NORTHEAST CLARK COUNTY-WESTERN CLARK AND SOUTHERN NYE COUNTY-
SHEEP RANGE-SPRING MOUNTAINS-RED ROCK CANYON-LAS VEGAS VALLEY-
SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY-
313 AM PDT MON JUL 28 2014 /313 AM MST MON JUL 28 2014/
…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM PDT /9 AM MST/ THIS
MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ARIZONA…
CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA…INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN
NORTHWEST ARIZONA…LAKE HAVASU AND FORT MOHAVE…LAKE MEAD
NATIONAL RECREATION AREA…NORTHWEST DESERTS AND NORTHWEST
PLATEAU. IN CALIFORNIA…CADIZ BASIN…DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL
PARK…EASTERN MOJAVE DESERT…EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES…MORONGO
BASIN…OWENS VALLEY…SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY-UPPER COLORADO
RIVER VALLEY…WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT AND WHITE MOUNTAINS OF
INYO COUNTY. IN NEVADA…ESMERALDA AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTY…
LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA…LAS VEGAS VALLEY…
LINCOLN COUNTY…NORTHEAST CLARK COUNTY…SHEEP RANGE…
SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY…SPRING MOUNTAINS-RED ROCK CANYON AND
WESTERN CLARK AND SOUTHERN NYE COUNTY.
* FROM 9 AM PDT /9 AM MST/ THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING
* SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES COULD POTENTIALLY ORGANIZE STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND THIS EVENING. WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE IN
PLACE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN AND MOJAVE DESERT
THUNDERSTORMS COULD EASILY PRODUCE ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAINFALL
IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. AREAS NEAR RECENT BURN SCARS WILL ALSO
BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO INCREASED RUNOFF AND FLASH FLOODING OR
DEBRIS FLOWS.
* MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY SINCE FLOOD WATERS ARE
USUALLY DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS
POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING
FLOODED ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE…TURN AROUND…DONT DROWN.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO
FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.
