Winnemucca Rain

I wonder if the heat is behind us? The temperature climbed above 100F a couple of weeks ago, but seems to have cooled back off. Last Monday, the streets of Winnemucca were doused in rain. More rain fell from the sky in 15 minutes than it had all year. I'm sure those that haven't lived in Winnemucca long wondered if the world was coming to an end. Living here forever, I've known that rain can eventually burst seemingly uninhibited from the sky... if you are patient enough, it will come. The Humboldt River usually fills to its brink in spring, sometimes erupting from its banks and filling the sloughs. However, rain like that in the middle of summer is not a common occurrence. The creeks and streams, not to mention the hardpan, do not have the capacity to hold all that water falling from the sky at once.

Flash flooding is actually the most often occurring "natural disaster" (outside of fire) that occurs here. Although, now you have to take into consideration the earthquake issue. I remember back about 20 years ago when they were running earthquake drills in the elementary schools because they thought a "big one" would hit. It never happened, but it has always left me wondering if it is only a matter of time. There are several significant fault lines that run through or close to Winnemucca. Rain, fire, and earthquakes....trust me, its not all that bad!