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Southern Nevada Weather Radar Struck By Lightning

Author Sammi Reeves
Southern Nevada will be down a radar in forecasting Hurricane Hillary.

We aren’t sure if you’ve heard, but Hurricane Hilary is headed right for us. The Category 4 storm is set up to almost hit Southern Nevada head on this weekend. By the time it makes it inland it won’t be as strong, but it will be a massive event! An event that the National Weather Service will keep a battered eye on, because they just lost a radar due to lightning, according to the National Weather Service.

Should have seen it coming.

The radar is named KESX and it is located south of Boulder City. You may have seen a lot of lightning over Friday night? Well one of those bolts just happened to strike the very radar set up to help us predict storms. What are the odds?

Wait, Southern Nevada has no radar? Are we doomed?

While being a radar down doesn’t help things, there are thankfully other radars to help us in a jam. NEXRAD or Next Generation Weather Radar has a network of radars across the country that can be used in unison to help track down storms, according to the National Center for Environmental Information. There used to be 160. Now there’s one less while technicians take a look at it. That said, don’t expect that to get fixed immediately. The drive up to the radar (just like our radio towers) is treacherous and the weather won’t make it any easier.

Hurricanes in Southern Nevada? Is this usual?

Obviously we don’t see a lot of this in Southern Nevada, but it isn’t totally unheard of. Back in 1997, Hurricane Nora brought blankets of rain into Southern Nevada. In 1939, a major system swept through the area dropping nearly 3.5 inches of rain in a week. Searchlight got far more – 8.45 inches! To put that in perspective, Las Vegas usually gets 4.2 inches of rain per year. So to get it all in one system is insane!

Hurricane Hilary is expected to bring anywhere from 1-3 inches over the weekend and into next week.

Sammi Reeves is the afternoon show host on 102.7 VGS. Before her radio career, she worked several jobs in the media industry, specifically involving social media and media buying. As a content creator for 102.7 VGS, Sammi writes Las Vegas content centered around local restaurants, events, and need-to-know news.

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 Sammi Reeves
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