July is here, and (surprise!) intense heat has arrived

By ANNALISE PORTER LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

10 years ago

Serafin Barrera-Santiago with Cooper Roofing rehydrates with water as he takes a break from his roofing job on a new home under construction in the Providence master plan community in northwest Las Vegas on Monday, June 30, 2014. With temperatures forecasted at or near 110 degrees for the next several days, an excessive heat watch is in effect until Wednesday evening (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Ismael Santiago with Cooper Roofing blows debris from a roof on a new home under construction in the Providence master plan community in northwest Las Vegas on Monday, June 30, 2014. With temperatures forecasted at or near 110 degrees for the next several days, an excessive heat watch is in effect until Wednesday evening (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Wayne Fiorito dives into the pool in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas on Monday, June 30, 2014. It is a good day for cleaning out coins and trash in the lagoon as temperatures are expected to reach 108 degrees. An excessive heat warning has been forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Fiorito works for the front attraction at Bellagio cleaning the lagoon on a daily basis. He could not estimate how much money he sweeps up every day. (Justin Yurkanin/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Anthony Garcia dives into the pool in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas on Monday, June 30, 2014. It is a good day for cleaning out coins and trash in the lagoon as temperatures are expected to reach 108 degrees. An excessive heat warning has been forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Garcia works for the front attraction at Bellagio cleaning the lagoon on a daily basis. He could not estimate how much money he sweeps up every day. (Justin Yurkanin/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Anthony Garcia, left, and Wayne Fiorito, center, clean the pool in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas on Monday, June 30, 2014. It is a good day for cleaning out coins and trash in the lagoon as temperatures are expected to reach 108 degrees. An excessive heat warning has been forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Fiorito works for the front attraction at Bellagio cleaning the lagoon on a daily basis. He could not estimate how much money he sweeps up every day. (Justin Yurkanin/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

A cyclist braves Las Vegas Blvd. in Las Vegas on Monday, June 30, 2014. An excessive heat warning has been forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. (Justin Yurkanin/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Tourists walk near the fountains in front of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Monday, June 30, 2014. An excessive heat warning has been forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. (Justin Yurkanin/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Nick Fraser, 14, from left, Dakota Waddell, 20, and Ronnie Selby, 19, cool down after riding their bikes and skateboards at the Winchester Skate Park in Las Vegas Monday, June 30, 2014. An excessive heat warning has been forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Dakota Waddell, 20, rides his bike at the Winchester Skate Park in Las Vegas Monday, June 30, 2014. An excessive heat warning has been forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Mariamawit Berhanemeskel, a biology major at College of Southern Nevada, walks to her car wearing a blanket at the West Charleston campus Friday in Las Vegas. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Nick Robinson, computer science major at College of Southern Nevada, keeps warm wearing a sweatshirt and a beanie as he walks to class at the West Charleston campus in Las Vegas, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013.

A year ago Monday, temperatures spiked to tie the Las Vegas Valley’s all-time record high of 117 degrees.

The temperature is rising again but isn’t expected to reach the bar set by last year’s heat wave. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for today and Wednesday, forecasting temperatures of up to 111 degrees, which would be the high so far in 2014.

The reason thermometers are climbing, according to weather service meteorologist Chris Stumpf, is that a high-pressure system is forming above the valley. That will send temperatures into the 110s before dropping slightly Thursday.

Independence Day will be hot as well, with a high forecast of 107 degrees. With that will come a slight chance of precipitation, Stumpf said.

Monsoon season typically starts right around now for Las Vegas, and by the weekend or early next week, thunderstorms may form over the Spring Mountains.

Before June 30, 2013, the valley reached 117 degrees on July 24, 1942, and also on July 19, 2005.

Clark County is planning for hot days, opening nearly a dozen cooling stations around the valley today and Wednesday for the homeless. Last year, heat contributed up to eight deaths in Clark County by July 3.

Some of these cooling stations will be at the Walnut, Hollywood, Black Mountain, Cambridge and Valley View recreation centers, and at Pearson and Stupak community centers, Dula Gymnasium and the Islamic Society of Nevada.

Pets are welcome at Walnut, Hollywood and Cambridge recreation centers and the Pearson Community Center.

Laughlin will offer two cooling stations today and Wednesday at the American Legion Richard Springston Post and the Colorado River Food Bank.

These cooling stations are in addition to the three daily homeless shelters open: Catholic Charities, Salvation Army and Shade Tree.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact reporter Annalise Porter at aporter@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0391.