Nevada weather emergency remains in effect; new storm ahead

RENO, Nev. (AP) - A broad state of emergency prompted by wet weather and flooding will remain in effect in Nevada for at least the next several days, with road damage reported in some areas and another wave of wind and rain predicted, an aide to Gov. Joe Lombardo said Monday.

All but four of the state’s 17 counties are now included in the emergency declaration the Republican governor originally enacted last week for four counties and Yomba Shoshone tribal lands.

Elizabeth Ray, the governor’s communications chief, said Monday that emergency managers were concerned about National Weather Service projections of more wet and windy weather during the next several days across northern Nevada.

A flood warning was cancelled Monday along the Walker River in western Nevada near Mason but most of the northern half of the state remained under a flood watch through Wednesday evening, from the California state line at Reno and Lake Tahoe to the Nevada-Utah line.

Serious damage was not reported, but another significant winter storm packed with moisture from the Pacific Ocean was moving across California into the Sierra Nevada, on the heels of a storm that dropped up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) of snow over the past four days at the top of ski resorts.

Another 12 inches (30 centimeters) of snow fell Sunday night at Palisades Tahoe ski resort for a four-day total of 41 inches (104 cm) south of Truckee, California, and another 8 inches (20 cm) fell at Mount Rose on the edge of Reno for a total of up to 52 inches (1.3 meters).

Only Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, and the rural counties of Lincoln, Lander and Pershing were not listed in the governor’s declaration.

Lombardo cited highways and local roads damaged by flooding, avalanches and rockslides in a region stretching across mountains, valleys and vast rangelands east to Elko. The declaration lets the state seek federal funding and help for storm damage repairs.

State transportation officials said U.S. 95, a key highway between Las Vegas and Reno, reopened during the weekend after having been closed due to a rock fall near Walker Lake.

The National Weather Service in Reno issued a high wind watch through Tuesday, and a flood watch through Wednesday. The weather service in Elko said residents in northern Nevada should “expect renewed flooding in areas that have just experienced flood impacts.” It added that mainstream river flooding was not expected.

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