Overnight lows of 90 to make Las Vegas-area heat dangerous 24/7
Dangerous heat will rise over the Las Vegas region through the weekend, the National Weather Service says.
Heading to a higher elevation might not provide much relief, and any early morning respite is also unlikely with lows around 90 degrees expected.
“I expect a lot of people will likely head to higher elevations like the Spring Mountains and even into Lincoln County,” weather service meteorologist Jen Varian said. “It won’t be as hot as in the lower elevations, but we still have advisories out for those areas as well, and it will be warmer than normal.”
Although not rising to level of a red flag warning, winds will be strong in the higher elevations, adding to the fire danger, Varian said.
“The afternoon breezes will be strong, so people need to be very careful with any flames,” she said.
"💭Deserts are Hot, Big Deal!"
Dont let this type of thinking sway you to ignore heat safety precautions this weekend. The extreme heat Saturday thru Monday will be different than a normal hot desert summer day 🥵 #nvwx #awx #cawx #VegasWeather pic.twitter.com/h3iUkPaVN1
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 9, 2020
The forecast high for Las Vegas on Friday is 109 with light and variable winds about 8 to 13 mph with gusts to 20 mph.
The overnight low will be around 89, well above normal.
“There will be little relief overnight all weekend,” Varian said. “That doesn’t allow the body to cool down for a few hours, and that can be especially dangerous for the homeless.”
Saturday’s high in Las Vegas is expected to be about 112, 4 degrees below the 1959 record for July 11.
Sunday should reach 113, with a high of 112 on Monday. The overnight lows each night will be near 90.
The Las Vegas record for July 12 is 114, set in 2003.
It doesn’t appear the heat will break records at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. A high of 123 is forecast for Saturday; the July 11 mark is 129. A projected 124 for Sunday is well below the 1913 record of 130.
Excessive heat warning
Most of the region, except for higher altitudes, is included in an excessive heat warning from 10 a.m. Saturday through 8 p.m. Monday, the weather service said.
High temperatures are expected to reach 109 to 114 degrees for Las Vegas, Mesquite and Pahrump with 117 to 120 for Laughlin and Bullhead City and 122 to 125 at Furnace Creek.
“People should take action to lessen the impact of the extreme heat,” the warning states. “Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air conditioned room, limit outdoor exposure to the cooler parts of the day, and check up on relatives and neighbors.”
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.
