County commissioners approved a new flood plain ordinance on Thursday, 16 months after Federal Emergency Management Agency officials threatened to pull the 20-percent flood insurance discount. The county has been conducting workshops, meetings and hearings on the floodplain ordinance since May. A copy of the ordinance is on the county's Web site at www.douglascountynv.gov
The National Weather Service is betting the farm that it's going to rain starting around drive time today and that the likelihood for precipitation will remain well into Saturday morning. The chance of moisture is 90 percent tonight and 80 percent on Saturday, with up to a quarter-inch expected. They're also calling for snow up on the passes, so remember to pack your chains.
Since it's been months since we've had any significant moisture, expect the wind to kick up quite a bit of dust before the front gets here. Gusts over the ridges could hit 90 mph with gusts up to 50 mph in the Valley. Expect the dust to be followed by scattered mud, which might eventually turn into rain.