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Lake Mead Just Got Some Great News

Author Shawn Tempesta

You don’t see “great news” and “Lake Mead” in a headline very often, but it’s true! For once, finally, snowpack levels on the northern end of the river are higher than expected. A lot higher!

Every year, there is so much snowpack that is expected in and around the Upper Colorado River Basin. At or above? That’s a good thing. Problem is, levels are often below expectations. Only three of the last ten years have seen numbers above average, with 2019 being a particularly healthy outlier.

As of yesterday, snowpack in this area of land has improved to 142% of expected levels. That is an incredible start to the winter season as it gives the area a healthy head start, with the highest snowpack levels at this point of the season in at least a decade.

2022’s winter season was off to a decent start around this point of last year, but numbers soon plateaued. So while this is good news, we are not out of the woods for this season. The peak of the snowpack usually lands in early April, so several more snowstorms hitting north of Las Vegas are going to be music to the ears of anyone that depends on the Colorado River.

The Upper Colorado River Basin is a section of land from northwest New Mexico, northeast Arizona, eastern Utah, western Colorado and the southwest corner of Wyoming.

There is no telling what will happen month to month, nevermind season to season. While this point in 2022 was outstanding, the preceding year was one of the worst in recent memory. But if Lake Mead’s New Years Resolution was to get more full, we are headed in the right direction.

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Shawn Tempesta is the co-host of Aimee+Shawn on 102.7 VGS in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also an Emmy award nominated television host. As a content creator for 102.7 VGS, Shawn writes about current events, education, funny and trending stories.

Weirdest Weather Events That've Happened In Las Vegas, Clark County

This year, Las Vegas has seen its most intense monsoon season in over a decade.

According to the National Weather Service, we haven’t received over an inch of rainfall since 2015. This year, Las Vegas received 1.28 inches of rainfall. And this abnormal weather has come with some dire consequences.

Recently, two people were found dead in a flood channel after intense rainfall in the region, according to 8 News Now.

Along with this horrible situation, social media lit up with tons of videos that showed water pouring from the ceilings of casinos or gushing through the streets of The Strip.

But the extreme flooding isn’t the only weather anomalies that have been plaguing the region. According to National Public Radio, cities such as Phoenix, Las Vegas and Houston have set heat records almost every summer.

Tornados have even been happening in the region. The NWS reports that since 1950, there has been 42 reported tornados in Clark, Lincoln and Mohave Counties.

With all of these floods and weather occurrences happening, it’s important to know if your living area is prone to flooding. Click HERE to see if your home or property is located within a flood zone.

There’s also a few steps you can take to protect your property if a flash flood warning is sent out.

  • Check your homeowners insurance because most of them do not cover floods.
  • Get sandbags just in case.
  • Place items above your home’s flood line.
  • Flood insurance takes an average of 30 days to kick in.
  • Always have an emergency kit with non-perishable goods, water and a flashlight

You also need to be weary of your vehicle’s safety when it comes to flash floods. A few seconds can lead to a whole road becoming inundated, which is bad news for your car. Here are some tips to help you navigate flood waters, so you can stay safe and keep your car protected!

  • Don’t drive through flooded roads or around barricades (if they’re set up).
  • Six inches of fast moving water can sweep a vehicle off the roadway.
  • Keep your car in first gear with the revs high if you’re stuck in standing water.
  • If you’re in the middle of standing water and your car stalls then either turn it back on as fast as you can or don’t do it at all. You want to avoid your car from “hydrolocking.”
  • Try to park your car on the highest part of the road if officials issue a flood warning

Since Vegas is experiencing some funky weather amid this monsoon season, here’s a list of the “weirdest” weather events that’ve happened in Las Vegas!

  • A Tornado Touched Down In Mesquite Recently

  • When It Snowed In Las Vegas, Making A Winter Wonderland In The Desert

  • Slightly Apocalyptic: Grasshoppers Invaded The Vegas Strip

  • A Casual Tornado At The Luxor Pool

    Dust devil hits pool goers at Luxor Resort & Casino

    A powerful dust devil brought pool day at a resort on the strip to a halt, one pool goer captured the aftermath.

  • Thunderstorm Murdered 700 Cows

    According to the Las Vegas Sun, a complex thunderstorm developed over northeast Clark County. This caused a massive flood that killed over 700 cattle at a dairy farm.Cows

  • Operation Save The Animals

    The snowiest winter in Nevada was in 1948-1949, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Due to an influx of snow, a large airlift operation was initiated to get stranded livestock from northern and eastern Nevada. However, it was too late for 25% of the animals.

    Cattle and helicopter

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Author Shawn Tempesta
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