Cold-weather gear might be handy as cold front nears Las Vegas
Do you know where your winter hat, coat and gloves are? Or maybe an umbrella that hasn’t been used in six months or longer?
Come Monday, you might want to use some of that gear.
It is finally going to feel like fall late this weekend as temps around the region likely drop 20-25 degrees from today's readings! Even slight chances of rain/snow for higher terrain Sun-Mon. #nvwx #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/Ij2YrZfZUn
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) October 20, 2020
The National Weather Service forecast calls for a high of 59 on Monday when a cold front moves into the Las Vegas Valley.
“The models are trending quite a bit colder,” weather service meteorologist Clay Morgan said. “It is still a bit murky, but the cold front could move a bit deeper south and west to be right on top of Las Vegas instead of to the northeast. It’s not for sure yet, just trending that way.”
The last time Las Vegas recorded a high of 59 was Feb. 22.
Precipitation possible
The cold front could carry precipitation, signaling a possible end to the record dry spell at McCarran International Airport that reached its 185th day Wednesday without measurable rain.
“There’s a slight chance Monday,” meteorologist Andy Gorelow said. “It’ll be fairly light and not a big widespread rain event.”
Rain is most likely to fall late Sunday or early Monday, Morgan said. Winds will be elevated with gusts of about30 mph.
The northwesterly wind will keep sending wildfire smoke into the valley through the week.
Still warm
With the cold front a few days away, temperatures are still 10 degrees above normal.
Wednesday reached 89 degrees, just barely falling under the 90-degree, record-breaking day it was forecast to be. Wednesday would have been the 159th high of 90 or above at McCarran this year, surpassing the record of 158 days in 1940. Another chance will come Thursday, with a forecast high of 90.
“(Thursday) is iffy, but it’s probably the last chance of the year,” Gorelow said.
High temperatures will decline to 83 on Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s forecast high is 76 with overnight lows in the upper 40s.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Folow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter. Review-Journal intern Sabrina Schnur contributed to this report.
