LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A flash flood watch is in place for Death Valley, and a winter storm at Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks after Christmas could bring as much as 5 feet of snow.
Las Vegas greets Christmas Eve with soggy weather, flood watch
Crews have been working to reopen roads in Death Valley National Park since storms in August, September and November, and the map below shows the status of road closures as of early Christmas Eve. The National Weather Service issued the flash flood watch for Dec. 24-25, and it is set to expire at 4 a.m. Christmas morning.
A flood advisory will remain in effect until 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Day. Death Valley’s website warned the park might lose electricity and phone service during the storm.
The wet weather comes just after crews had reopened several roads within the past two weeks, including North Highway, Ubehebe Crater Road, Cottonwood Canyon Road, Marble Canyon Road, Artists Drive and Twenty Mule Team Canyon Road.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Just west of Death Valley, Sequoia and Kings Canyon were bracing for heavy snow the week after Christmas. Visitors must be prepared with tire chanis or cables, which must be carried in the vehicle, according to California state law governing chain control zones.Winds could reach 55 mph. Updated weather forecasts for the parks are available at https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/weather.htm.
“To visit sequoia trees, drivers will be in a chain control zone. Road conditions and chain restrictions may change at any time throughout the day. The entrance staff will check vehicles for chains as needed,” according to a news release issued on Monday…