First, it was the rain. Now comes the wind and the cold. Well, cold for late June in Las Vegas.
A wind advisory goes into effect at 11 a.m. today for Southern Nevada, lasting until 5 a.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service said. Expect southwest winds 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph.
In a statement, the NWS said “gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. … strong winds and rough waves on area lakes will create hazardous conditions for small craft.”
The strong winds will be accompanied by a sharp drop in temperature. Thursday’s high at Harry Reid International Airport was 107 degrees but the forecast high for Friday is 101. After that, the valley may not see the century mark for a week.
Saturday’s forecast high is 97; Sunday’s is only 93 and Monday is 95. The average high for late June is 103.
This sharp cooldown is “pretty unusual for this time of year,” said meteorologist Sam Meltzer of the National Weather Service. He explained that a “strong low pressure system” from the Pacific Northwest is bringing cool air into the region.
“We usually see this type of event in the spring,” he said.
Also, a fire weather warning goes into effect for Southern Nevada from 11 a.m. Friday to 11 p.m. Saturday. “Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended,” the NWS said in a statement. “A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity (5 to 15 percent) and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.”
Weather facts
— The last time Las Vegas saw 110 was Aug. 21, the latest date ever recorded for such a high temperature.
— The valley first saw 110 last year on June 15. The average first 110-degree temperature is July 1. The earliest ever recording of 110 happened on June 6, 2010.
— Las Vegas hit 100 degrees for the first time this year on May 8.
— It hit 98 on March 25 at the airport, the hottest March day ever in Las Vegas. The valley saw eight consecutive days of record-breaking heat that month, the hottest March in history.
— The hottest June temperature recorded in Las Vegas was 117 (June 20, 2017, and June 30, 2013).
— Statistically, June is the driest month of the year for Las Vegas (an average of .04 inches).
Contact Mark Davis at mdavis@reviewjournal.com.
