[jcx456]

Hi, i'm just wanting to know what is the worst weather related or natural disater type event that occurs in the Las Vegas area? You know how florida has the threat of hurricanes and the midwest has tornadoes etc. does Las Vegas have anything that is a potential threat other than the heat? Does it thunderstorm at all in the area or hail ever? Are there mudslides or floods or earthquakes ever? Thanks for the help.

[Displaced Brooklynite]

I hope your kidding but yes, we do get some bad weather. It gets cold here in winter, we do get snow, we get very high winds at times up to 60 miles an hour, we get torrential rain,we get thunder and lightning , we also get hail and we are close to a fault line so we can get earth quakes.

[jcx456]

So when it rains then is it always a thunderstorm since it is a desert and you don't get very much rain does it always rain hard as hell with thunder and hail? I wasn't joking either about my question, cold weather and heat aren't bad weather in my book either, i'm talking about tornadoes, flash floods, hail, massive wildfires, 6.8 earthquakes etc. etc.

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by jcx456

Hi, i'm just wanting to know what is the worst weather related or natural disater type event that occurs in the Las Vegas area? You know how florida has the threat of hurricanes and the midwest has tornadoes etc. does Las Vegas have anything that is a potential threat other than the heat? Does it thunderstorm at all in the area or hail ever? Are there mudslides or floods or earthquakes ever? Thanks for the help.

The hard ground makes Las Vegas a prime candidate for flash floods. It's hard to imagine unless you have personally drove around in 3 feet water after it rains. I will never forget when I saw I firetruck stuck in an underwater intersection with the firemen standing on top. They had to be rescued.

Las Vegas has a lot of inactive fault lines.

Other than the occasional flash flood warning, I would say for the most part Las Vegas feels free from disaster, well unless you count the excessive heat.

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by Displaced Brooklynite

I hope your kidding but yes, we do get some bad weather. It gets cold here in winter, we do get snow, we get very high winds at times up to 60 miles an hour, we get torrential rain,we get thunder and lightning , we also get hail and we are close to a fault line so we can get earth quakes.

When you say snow are you talking about a few flakes? It seems like we only get snow that actually accumulates once every 4-5 years. And even then that was one day and it melted by the next.

[r_k]

Yeah, snow is nowhere near being a problem for Vegas. A few slushy inches every now then do not severe weather make. I would think the following three are the main natural threats anyone is likely to face:

(1) Earthquakes
(2) Severe thunderstorms/lightening/flash flood
(3) Running out of water (at some future date, due to overuse)

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by lyra33

When you say snow are you talking about a few flakes? It seems like we only get snow that actually accumulates once every 4-5 years. And even then that was one day and it melted by the next.

No, we get real snow. I will never forget the snowstorm we got on December 17, 2008. The snow actually stayed on the ground for nearly a week. I had to drive to work and do patrols that day. It was not fun. I literally thought I was in Flagstaff.

[tijlover]

I will always look upon wind as our ever-occurring natural disasters here.

How many times have I been caught with my pants down?

Even at 70, those monster winds that suddenly blow through the valley can catch you unprepared. You start out walking and it's so pleasant, a half-hour later, wind kicks up, and you have to run back to the house for a coat!

And let's not go there, the temp falling to 30 at night in January and those monster winds come by to terrorize the Valley!

[jcx456]

Originally Posted by tijlover

I will always look upon wind as our ever-occurring natural disasters here.

How many times have I been caught with my pants down?

Even at 70, those monster winds that suddenly blow through the valley can catch you unprepared. You start out walking and it's so pleasant, a half-hour later, wind kicks up, and you have to run back to the house for a coat!

And let's not go there, the temp falling to 30 at night in January and those monster winds come by to terrorize the Valley!

Haha, sounds like something i've heard before over in the san francisco sub forum. They were talking about how they never leave home without a jacket, windbreaker, or sweater because one minute it could be absolutely beautiful and 10 minutes later the wind would shift directions or pick up and it would get cold as...[insert your choice of word here].

[DavieJ89]

tijlover is right

I remember back in March when I came to visit Las Vegas, I was out on the strip it was a warm sunny 80 degrees. A few moments later it was cold and there were howling winds and I found myself dashing to the Bellagio for warmth, regretted not having a coat that day

I wouldnt mind if it snowed and stuck just once a year, it would STILL beat winters in NW Connecticut