Las Vegas joins much of US with excessive heat, 110 to 115 possible
Like much of the southern half of the nation, the entire Las Vegas region is under an extreme heat warning starting Thursday morning.
In an alert issued Wednesday afternoon, temperatures of 110 to 115 are forecast for the Las Vegas Valley and Pahrump by the National Weather Service through 8 p.m. Friday.
Dangerous Heat
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Excessive Heat Warnings & Advisories in effect for Thurs & Fri.
Temperature & warning info for your area? Head to https://t.co/H4ycRSpCVQ.
Cooling stations, head to your local county page such as @ClarkCountyNV.#VegasWeather #NvWx #CaWx #AzWx pic.twitter.com/y2JBUmaYbn— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 20, 2022
High temperatures of 115 to 120 are expected at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Colorado River Valley.
“There’s a large dome of high pressure across all of the southwest and extreme high temperatures will be widespread,” meteorologist John Adair said. “Thursday and Friday will be similar with highs of 110 to 115 across the valley.”
The latest forecast calls for a high of 111 at Harry Reid International Airport on Thursday with southwest winds of 5-13 mph becoming north/northeast in the morning. There will be some clouds.
The Friday morning low will be near 89.
Friday will be sunny and hot, with a high near 112. South/southeast winds will be 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Close to record temperatures
Temperatures will be close to record highs and lows, Adair said.
The record high for July 21 is 113 set in 1942 and the record low temperature for the day is 90 set in 2005.
For July 22, the record high is 114 set in 1937 and the record low is 92 set in 2006.
The high so far this year at the airport was 111 on July 11.
The forecast high at Furnace Junction at Death Valley is 123 for Thursday and Friday. Laughlin is expected to reach 118 or higher both days.
Cooling centers likely to be activated
Clark County usually activates daytime cooling centers when such temperatures are forecast.
“Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities,” the weather service warning states. “Overnight lows will struggle to fall below 85 degrees. This, compounded with above-average afternoon temperatures will pose a significant risk for heat-related illness.”
People are advised to limit their outdoor activities, to drink plenty of water, to avoid alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, wear light-weight clothing, and, if possible, spend more time in air-conditioned or well-ventilated places.
To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency, so calling 911 is appropriate.
National forecasts indicate that more than 100 million Americans are under extreme heat advisories or warnings as a July heat wave bakes much of the nation.
For Las Vegas, temperatures are expected to dip a few degrees on Saturday when more clouds and possible moisture are in the forecast.
Heat records in Europe
Britain shattered its record for highest temperature ever registered amid a heat wave that has seared swaths of Europe. The national weather forecaster predicted it would get hotter still in a country ill prepared for such extremes.
The typically temperate nation is the latest to be walloped by unusually hot, dry weather that has triggered wildfires from Portugal to the Balkans and led to hundreds of heat-related deaths.
Images of flames racing toward a French beach and Britons sweltering have driven home concerns about climate change. The U.K. Met Office weather agency registered a provisional reading of 40.3 degrees (104.5 fahrenheit) at Coningsby in eastern England.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com or 702-863-4285. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
