As the temperatures in Las Vegas continue to rise this week, residents can expect to see the mercury climb even higher. According to the National Weather Service Las Vegas, a high pressure system is set to cause temperatures to soar to 6-8 degrees above normal from Wednesday through Friday. "Radar detecting a few light rain showers east of Panaca/Pioche in eastern Lincoln County at 130 am," the National Weather Service report noted, adding that the skies are otherwise clear, except for some cloud coverage in northern Mohave County.
The high pressure means that the HeatRisk will quickly start to build on Wednesday, and the National Weather Service anticipates an escalation to widespread major to extreme HeatRisk, particularly for elevations below 3500 feet by Thursday and Friday. This has prompted an upgrade from an excessive heat watch to a warning. "Will be upgrading the excessive heat watch to a warning with this package," the National Weather Service stated, hinting at the urgency to prepare for the impending heat.
Meanwhile, by the weekend, the forecast shows a return to more seasonable temperatures and the chances for precipitation increases. The monsoon season could potentially bring showers and thunderstorms, especially on Saturday and Sunday. The high moisture flux is in part due to "a rebuilding of the Four Corners high in its preferred monsoonal position," coupled with "a strong shortwave entering the Great Basin and PacNW," according to the National Weather Service.
For aviation, the National Weather Service advises that Harry Reid International Airport will experience variable winds through the morning, settling into a southerly direction by the afternoon. "By the late morning and into the afternoon, winds should take a southerly direction with speeds of around 10 knots," the forecast describes. In the evening, the winds are expected to take a consistent southwesterly direction.
Residents in southern Nevada, northwest Arizona, and southeast California will observe winds picking up to 10 knots or greater later in the morning and through the afternoon. The Colorado River Valley may see gusts up to around 20 knots. The Las Vegas Valley itself might experience gusts of 15 to 18 knots. The National Weather Service also asks that spotters "report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures," indicating the importance of community involvement in weather monitoring.
