Intense thunderstorms drench Southwest, causing water to cascade from casino ceilings in Las Vegas

Intense summer thunderstorms that drenched parts of Las Vegas — causing water to cascade from casino ceilings and pool on the carpet of a stadium-sized sports betting area — were part of a broad regional monsoon pattern that may repeat through the weekend, a National Weather Service official said Friday.

"We're getting right into the heart of the most active part," said John Adair, a veteran meteorologist at the weather service office near Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. "This is turning out to be a pretty active monsoon season, compared with the last five years or so. There's plenty of more opportunities for thunderstorms to develop."

The annual weather pattern has brought a parade of storms across the U.S. Southwest in recent weeks that lead to flooding in normally dry washes, rain measured in inches and rescue operations. But it's not just the Southwest: in Kentucky, 16 people have been reported dead following severe flooding, and another person was killed amid heavy rainfall in St. Louis.