Monsoon Season Survival for Vegas Homeowners
It can go months without rain here, and then a summer thunderstorm drops a lot of water on ground that can't absorb it. The Valley's storm season mostly falls in July through September. Here's how to be ready.
Know your flood risk
The Clark County Regional Flood Control District publishes flood information and maps at regionalflood.org. FEMA flood maps are at msc.fema.gov. Look up your address. If you're near a wash or channel, you'll want to know before the storm, not during it.
Before the season (June)
- Block walls: clear the drainage openings at the base of yard walls so water can leave the lot.
- Grading: soil and rock next to the house should slope away from it. Landscaping projects often reverse this by accident.
- Garage: check the bottom seal on the garage door, and keep boxes off the floor.
- Roof: clear debris from flat-roof scuppers and look for cracked tiles after spring winds.
- Gutters and downspouts (if you have them): point them away from the foundation.
During a storm
- Stay off flooded streets and out of washes. Water can be deeper and faster than it looks.
- Watch the doors on the side the storm is coming from, plus the garage.
- If water starts coming in, block it with towels or sandbags, move valuables up, and keep away from outlets.
After
- Walk the house: ceilings, closets on exterior walls, baseboards near doors.
- Photograph any damage with timestamps.
- Floodwater from outside is contaminated, so wear gloves and boots.
- Read your policy. Surface flooding is usually not covered by standard homeowners insurance, while roof leaks may be handled differently.
If water came in, see flash flood cleanup.