OUTDOOR BRIEF

SUMMER SAFETY

Thunderstorms pose
a boating danger

When Southern Nevada has storms, they can be both sudden and violent. Common characteristics of summer thunderstorms include high winds, lightning and heavy rain that create significant danger for boaters.

"Many people, especially those who are new to the desert or are here visiting from somewhere else, do not realize how fast a desert thunderstorm can develop and break loose," said David Pfiffner, Boating Law Administrator for NDOW. "Boaters who are unaware of this fact are often taken by surprise when a storm comes up, and the results can be disastrous

"When caught by a storm, the first thing a boater should do -- if they don't have one on already -- is to put on their life jacket and make sure that each of his passengers does the same. Then, the boater should look for a protected location such as a cove or small bay in which to ride out the storm."

Summer storms also may be accompanied by heavy rains and flash floods, which can wash large amounts of debris into lakes, rivers and other waterways. Boaters need to watch for such floating debris .

Changes in the weather generally come from the west. The list of warning signs includes wind shifts, thunderheads building up in the distance, increasingly choppy waters, swelling waves and a drop in barometric pressure.

NDOW encourages people who frequent the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and other desert water to carry a marine ban radio and a cell phone. The National Park Service monitors two-way radios 24 hours a day on channels 16 and 22A.