Storms set records in the West

PHOENIX – Strong storms on Tuesday pounded portions of the West, dropping record-setting rain in northern Nevada, flooding roads and disrupting flights in Phoenix, and dumping enough snow at the top of the Sierra to close a mountain highway pass.

Meanwhile, a lightning strike in Utah left two teenage boys hospitalized in critical condition.

Lightning, hail in Phoenix

In Phoenix, no flights arrived or left Sky Harbor International Airport for about a half-hour because of winds as strong as 70 mph, lightning, golf ball-size hail and rain. Airport spokeswoman Deborah Ostreicher said some flights were diverted, but most circled the airport waiting for the weather to clear.

Earlier in the day, the storm halted all flights for nearly an hour and delayed many more as planes backed up on runways.

Mesa fire Capt. Forrest Smith said a microburst downed 19 power poles, at least three of which landed on homes. In all, 38 homes were damaged by the storm, 12 severely, and about 100 people were displaced, Smith said.

At least 10,000 people were without power throughout metropolitan Phoenix.

The Arizona Department of Public safety said the storm caused “too many accidents to count,” including a single-vehicle wreck on a suburban freeway that killed one man.

A power line fell across busy Interstate 17 in central Phoenix, shutting down traffic in both directions. No one was hurt. Flooding swamped freeways throughout the area, with water up to two feet deep on parts of I-17.

Teens hurt in Utah

In southwestern Utah, two teenage boys were struck by lightning shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday outside their Santa Clara high school, said Brad Ferguson, Washington County School District spokesman.

The boys, Christopher “Dane” Zdunich and Alex Lambson, both suffered life-threatening injuries and were flown to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Ferguson said.

Winter warning in Nevada

In Nevada, the National Weather Service extended a winter weather advisory through late Tuesday afternoon for Reno, Tahoe and Carson City. The same weather system has caused flooding around Las Vegas. It was expected to linger in the region through the middle of the week.

Temperatures were in the upper 40s in Reno at midday Tuesday after setting record highs in the mid-90s a week ago.

More than an inch of rain fell at Reno-Tahoe International Airport on Monday, shattering the old record of 0.23 set in 1994.

Sierra pass closed

Snow forced the closure of California Highway 89 at Monitor Pass south of Lake Tahoe on Tuesday. Chains were required on the Mount Rose Highway connecting Reno to Incline Village.

Another 2 to 4 inches of snow was expected above 8,000 feet in the Sierra, where 1 to 3 inches had been recorded by Tuesday morning.