Record rainfall cools Las Vegas, but only for a morning
The thunder and lightning hovering over the valley on Wednesday and Thursday nights will likely stay through the holiday weekend — on the mountains, at least.
The National Weather Service’s Las Vegas office said the isolated storms probably won’t move into the valley, which will pave the way for a new all-time heat record.
The weather service recorded .13 inches of rainfall early Thursday morning, breaking the .08 inches 1961 record for July 2, meteorologist Chad Shafer said. But the isolated storms that barked at the valley in the last few nights really bit the Spring Mountains hard. Lightning caused several small fires overnight Tuesday and Wednesday, some of which were still burning Thursday night.
Meteorologist Clay Morgan said high temperatures could reach 107 degrees Friday and 106 degrees Saturday through Monday. If it does, Saturday will mark the longest consecutive streak of days that are 105 degrees or more. The previous record, 21 days, has been hit again and again, Morgan said, but Saturday will be day 22.
And expected smoke and ozone from fireworks over the Fourth of July holiday prompted the Clark County Department of Air Quality to issue an advisory for Saturday and Sunday. Those with respiratory problems should remain indoors.
Review-Journal writer Ricardo Torres contributed to this report. Contact Wesley Juhl at wjuhl@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0391. Find him on Twitter: @WesJuhl.