WEATHER WARNING: Sierra Flash Flood Watch

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maverick
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WEATHER WARNING: Sierra Flash Flood Watch

Post by maverick »

Flash Flood Watch
FLOOD WATCH...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
312 PM PDT MON JUL 14 2014

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN MOST OF THIS WEEK...

.MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL INCREASE OVER THE SIERRA...WESTERN
NEVADA AND NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS. BY
WEDNESDAY...LIGHT WINDS ALOFT AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO
INCREASING CHANCES FOR SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING A FLASH FLOOD.

THE THREAT FOR SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXPAND NORTHWARD
INTO THE TAHOE BASIN...RENO...CARSON CITY...AND AS FAR NORTH AS
LASSEN COUNTY AND THE SURPRISE VALLEY IN NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA BY
THURSDAY.

CAZ072-073-NVZ002-003-151430-
/O.COR.KREV.FF.A.0001.140716T1800Z-140717T0600Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-MONO-GREATER RENO-CARSON CITY-MINDEN AREA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BRIDGEPORT...MAMMOTH LAKES...
GARDNERVILLE
312 PM PDT MON JUL 14 2014

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALPINE AND MONO COUNTIES IN EASTERN
CALIFORNIA...AND DOUGLAS COUNTY IN WESTERN NEVADA.

* FROM LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.

* ABUNDANT MOISTURE...INSTABILITY AND LIGHT WINDS ALOFT WILL LEAD
TO SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN. THE AREAS AT
GREATEST RISK FOR FLASH FLOODING ARE NEAR SMALL CREEKS AND
STREAMS...URBAN AREAS AND RECENT BURN SCARS SUCH AS THE BISON
AND RAY MAY FIRES IN DOUGLAS COUNTY.

* HEAVY RAIN MAY ALSO LEAD TO ROCK AND MUD SLIDES NEAR STEEP
TERRAIN. THIS MAY IMPACT TRAVEL OVER MOUNTAIN PASSES ON
HIGHWAYS 4...88...89..108...120...203 AND 395.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS...CREEKS
AND OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.
PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD MONITOR WEATHER.GOV/RENO FOR
UPDATES AND BE PREPARED FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION SHOULD HEAVY RAINS
AND FLOODING OCCUR OR A FLASH FLOOD WARNING BE ISSUED.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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thegib
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Re: WEATHER WARNING: Sierra Flash Flood Watch

Post by thegib »

We hiked in Mon am the 14th. So we knew the prior forecast of potential T-storms. On Weds the 16th, just after a lovely lunch at Merriam lake, it rained and hailed harder than I've ever experienced (in 25 years) in the Sierra. It was awesome and intimidating to watch the water hit the granite and wash over every lip. Every channel was a water course, and streams formed between our feet. It only lasted like that for 15-20 minutes but gave us clue how immense scars such as the one on Shepherds pass come about.
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SSSdave
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Re: WEATHER WARNING: Sierra Flash Flood Watch

Post by SSSdave »

A bout of thunderstorms actually occurred the previous week and then this last week weather occurred every day, in fact two days had little sun. This has been of huge benefit to the peak of wildflower season occurring now at elevations above 9k though not below that had already been into their flowering cycle. I saw significant increases of flowers up Rock Creek in just one week with much very green now. And small streams are again aflowing.
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