Sun weather coverage
Firefighters rescued people from flood channels and flights at the Las Vegas airport were delayed or canceled Tuesday as more than an inch and a third of rain fell across the valley, which was enveloped by fog, and snow blanketed Mount Charleston.
Tuesday’s rainfall created the wettest day in January on record, the National Weather Service said. It was the sixth wettest calendar day on record.
As the showers subsided and the sun peeked through the heavy clouds late afternoon, the fog appeared to rise from the ground. There was a dense fog advisory for the Las Vegas Valley and Spring Mountains through 6 a.m. Wednesday, and the weather service warned commuters to practice caution.
A flood advisory issued for Clark County expired Tuesday evening but not before rainfall caused some challenges on valley roads.
By Tuesday morning, most of the valley had already seen at least three-quarters of an inch of rain, with accumulations of up to an inch in the Seven Hills and Anthem areas of Henderson, National Weather Service meteorologist Caleb Steele said. As much as another half-inch was expected to be tacked on, he said.
The Henderson Fire Department reported rescuing a person Tuesday from a flooded wash near Eastern Avenue and St. Rose Parkway. Nobody was injured, but officials warned people to stay out of washes and flood control channels and not drive or walk through flooded areas. The Regional Flood Control District reported deep, fast-moving water through channels.
In another incident, firefighters in North Las Vegas rescued a man and woman living under a bridge from a wash where the water rapidly rose to at least seven feet Tuesday morning, officials said. They were unharmed but shaken, officials said.
McCarran International Airport reported that weather conditions in Las Vegas caused flight delays and cancelations. Travelers were advised to consult their airlines for up-to-date information.
As of Tuesday evening, there were 14 flights scheduled to depart that had been canceled, while three were delayed. More than 20 arriving flights had been canceled and three delayed.
Rain continued throughout the day in the valley, with a main band pushing through Tuesday afternoon, Steele said.
The rain was expected to end Tuesday night, and Wednesday should be dry, Steele said. The last time there was measurable rainfall in the Las Vegas area was on Sept. 8.
Up to 6 inches of snow, meanwhile, had fallen Tuesday at elevations above 8,000 feet on Mount Charleston, with 18 inches or more possible, according to the weather service. Lower on the mountain, rain turned into snow Tuesday morning at about 7,500 feet.
The National Weather Service in Reno reported that 18 inches of snow fell on the top of Mammoth Mountain south of Yosemite National Park.
About 5 inches of snow was recorded at Sugarbowl ski resort near Truckee, California, and 3 inches at South Lake Tahoe and the Mount Rose ski resort near Reno.
About 1.3 inches of rain fell at Alpine Meadows southwest of Tahoe, 1.2 inches at Donner Lake near Truckee and one-third inch in the foothills around Reno.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.