Jose Angel, 4, chases a goose as he plays during a cool morning at Sunset Park pond on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Las Vegas. With a forecast high of 101, Thursday could become the 96th day this year with a high of 100 degrees or more, giving 2020 the No. 2 ranking for days of triple-digit highs. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye
The sun, clouded by smoke from wildfires in California, sets behind Spring Mountains National Recreation Area on Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, in Las Vegas. Smoke and haze from wildfires is expected in Las Vegas on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidttt
A flock of geese land on water at Sunset Park pond on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Las Vegas. With a forecast high of 101, Thursday could become the 96th day this year with a high of 100 degrees or more, giving 2020 the No. 2 ranking for days of triple-digit highs. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye
A flock of pigeons fly over Sunset Park pond on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Las Vegas. With a forecast high of 101, Thursday could become the 96th day this year with a high of 100 degrees or more, giving 2020 the No. 2 ranking for days of triple-digit highs. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye
A flock of pigeons fly over Sunset Park pond on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Las Vegas. With a forecast high of 101, Thursday could become the 96th day this year with a high of 100 degrees or more, giving 2020 the No. 2 ranking for days of triple-digit highs. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye
Jose Angel, 4, relaxes during a cool morning at Sunset Park pond on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Las Vegas. With a forecast high of 101, Thursday could become the 96th day this year with a high of 100 degrees or more, giving 2020 the No. 2 ranking for days of triple-digit highs. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye
Smoke, haze, temperatures above normal and no rain remain the main factors in the Las Vegas weather forecast, the National Weather Service says.
With a forecast high of 101, Thursday could become the 96th day this year with a high of 100 degrees or more, giving 2020 the No. 2 ranking for days of triple-digit highs. The record is 100 days, set in 1947.
The normal high this time of year is 91.
Several days between now and Oct. 1 have forecast highs of 100 or better, according to the weather service.
Ongoing haze, smoke
Widespread haze is expected before 8 a.m. Light and variable morning winds of 6 to 11 mph could gust up to 20 mph.
“There are just so many of them it is hard to imagine that it is going to get better anytime soon,” weather service meteorologist Caleb Steele said of wildfires that are generating smoke across the Western United States.
The Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability has extended its smoke advisory through Thursday.
The smoke affects visibility and higher particulate levels at the surface. Smoke is made of small dust particles and other pollutants that can aggravate respiratory diseases and contribute to ground-level ozone formation. Smoke and other pollutants can aggravate respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma or heart disease.
It might be best for children, the elderly, and people with respiratory and heart disease to stay indoors, the advisory states.
Dry spell in 157th day
The record streak without measurable rain at McCarran International Airport is in its 157th day Thursday, and no rain is in the week’s forecast.
