It hit 100 degrees for the first time in 2026 in Las Vegas on Friday. It’s only going to get warmer.
The heat wave that began Thursday is expected to intensify this weekend, with forecast highs of 100 for Saturday and Sunday and 103 on Monday and Tuesday, which may break daily heat records, said Sam Meltzer of the National Weather Service.
Saturday’s record high is 105 (set in 2018) and Sunday’s record high is 102 (set in 1940).
On Thursday, Harry Reid International Airport hit 92, about 10 degrees short of the daily record. It was the second time Reid has reached 90 this month (it saw 91 on May 3). The average early May temperature is 85 degrees.
Last year, Las Vegas hit 100 for the first time on May 21. The average date of hitting 100 is May 24. In 2024, the valley hit 100 on May 17. The earliest Las Vegas has hit 100 was May 1, 1947. The latest was June 30, 2023.
Reaching the century mark is an unofficial start to the summer heat in the valley.
2026 heat and rain
— The warmest day in April happened on the 8th, when Harry Reid International Airport hit 91 degrees.
— Las Vegas recorded its hottest day of the year March 25 when Reid reached a record 98, the hottest day in March history.
— The valley saw 90 for the first time in 2026 on March 18 when Reid recorded a record 94, starting a streak of 12 days of 90 or above.
— Las Vegas reached 80 for the first time this year on Feb. 26. Reid hit 83 that day.
— The last time Reid saw measurable rain was the week of Feb. 18, when it recorded 0.24 inches. That was the first time the airport had seen rain since Jan. 8 (0.03 inches).
— The month of April felt relatively cool (only 1.3 degrees above normal) after a record-breaking March. February 2026 was the second-warmest February in the valley since record-keeping began in 1937. January 2026 was the fifth-warmest January on record.
Contact Mark Davis at mdavis@reviewjournal.com.
