4:25 P.M. UPDATE:
The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a Flash Flood Warning for southern Washoe County, Storey County, and central Lyon County until 6:45 p.m.
Flash flooding is expected in urban areas, creeks and streams, highways, streets, and underpasses, as well as poor drainage and low-lying areas.
Among locations expected to be impacted are Virginia City, Dayton, Six Mile Canyon, NV 341 at the Washoe-Storey County line, and Gold Hill.
If you see pooling water on roadways, turn around and avoid it.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
The National Weather Service has issued both a Flash Flood Warning and a Flash Flood Watch today for parts of northern Nevada and northeastern California as slow-moving thunderstorms bring the risk of heavy rain and flooding.
A Flash Flood Warning is in effect until 5:00 p.m. for southern central Washoe County in western Nevada, along with Storey, Nevada and Sierra counties in northern California.
As of 2:30 p.m., Doppler radar indicated storms producing heavy rainfall at a rate of 0.5 to 1 inch per hour. Flash flooding is already occurring or expected to begin shortly.
The warning states the hazard is “flash flooding caused by thunderstorms,” with the source identified as radar.
Impacted areas may include small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, underpasses, and other low-lying or poor drainage zones. Floriston, Verdi, and Verdi-Mogul are among the locations at risk.
At the same time, a Flash Flood Watch remains in effect through 9:00 p.m. for a broader area including the Reno-Carson-Minden region, the Tahoe Basin, northeast California, and Mono, Mineral, and southern Lyon counties.
The flood risk is rated moderate, 3 out of 5, with concerns for rising creeks and streams, roadway flooding, and potential mudslides.
There is also increased risk of flash flooding and debris flows near recent burn scars, including the Davis, Conner, Bear, Mill, Inn, and Tamarack fire zones.
The National Weather Service advises, “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in cars.”
