Early heat prompts extra warning for Las Vegas Valley residents
The quick climb from below-average April temperatures to triple digits this week has the Las Vegas office of the National Weather Service concerned.
“A lot more people than normal are venturing outside because they have been cooped up,” weather service meteorologist Trevor Boucher said. “Hiking may be the only recreational thing to do, and normally we have some time to get acclimated to the higher temperatures, but not this time.”
Boucher urges people to heed a forecast that calls for a high of 102 degrees Wednesday, which would be the first 100-degree day ever recorded in April in Las Vegas. The record for April 29 is 99, set in 2013.
The first 90-degree day of 2020 was Thursday. The mercury at McCarran International Airport has reached 80 degrees only a handful of times this month, with the average temperature about a half-degree below normal.
Above normal temperatures are forecast today in the West with excessive heat expected for the Desert Southwest through Thursday. Temperatures will run around 15 degrees above normal with a few record highs possible. Excessive Heat Watches and Warnings have been issued. pic.twitter.com/R3F1JtYBs9
— National Weather Service (@NWS) April 26, 2020
“There was already a call today for a heat-related situation at Lone Mountain,” Boucher said. “Yes, 100 isn’t all that hot, and yes, we live in the desert and it does get hot … but this is a very uncommon situation. It is 15 to 20 degrees above normal with little or no time to acclimate to it after being below normal for most of April.”
His warning for those going outdoors: “Don’t overexert yourself, and be sure to drink lots of water. Don’t be caught off guard.”
Monday’s projected high is 96, and Tuesday should climb to about 98. The overnight lows will be around 70.
Excessive heat watch
An excessive heat watch is in place from Tuesday morning through Thursday evening for much of the Southwest, including the Las Vegas Valley.
High temperatures are expected to hit 112 in Death Valley and 97 to 103 for Las Vegas, Mesquite, Pahrump, and Barstow, California. Laughlin will range from 105 to 107. Kingman, Arizona, will range from 93 to 97.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com or at 702-863-4285. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.
