Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Las Vegas, NV
Issued by NWS Las Vegas, NV
508 FXUS65 KVEF 250402 AFDVEF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 902 PM PDT Tue Sep 24 2024 .SYNOPSIS...Temperatures will continue to increase each day through the end of the week as an upper-level ridge sets up over the region. This will lead to near record high temperatures and excessive heat for late September along the lower Colorado River Valley Thursday through Saturday. A weak low pressure system will move over Southern California and Nevada early next week resulting in a slight cooling trend. && .UPDATE...Las Vegas had a high of 98 today. Chances of Las Vegas observing 100 degrees increases each day through the rest of the week, with best chances on Saturday. This is relevant, because 2024 is currently tied with 1947 for most days in a year with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher. Both 2024 and 1947 observed 100 days. Achieving 100 degrees this week would put 2024 in first place for this record. No changes made to the forecast this evening, as it looks to be in good shape. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...140 PM PDT Tue Sep 24 2024/ .SHORT TERM...through Thursday. Persistent above normal temperatures and dry conditions are the main story for the foreseeable future although a Pacific Northwest trough moving inland and brushing northern Nevada will stir up some southerly breezes Wednesday afternoon across Inyo County and the southern Great Basin. The anomalously strong high centered over Arizona/New Mexico will begin expanding westward Wednesday leading to a gradual increase in temperatures with the forecast high of 107 at Needles within a degree of the record for Sep. 26. This leads to Major HeatRisk for late September for the Colorado River Valley zones and has prompted an Excessive Heat Warning Thursday-Saturday which matches warnings in nearby La Paz/Riverside counties. .LONG TERM...Friday through Tuesday. The area of high pressure will remain in place over the Desert Southwest and keep temperatures several degrees above normal through Saturday then a weak closed low near the California Coast is forecast to lift slowly inland across Southern Nevada Sunday into Monday and possibly Tuesday resulting in a slight cooling trend. The closed low will have little to no moisture with it, but may pull limited moisture from southwest Arizona up over northwest Arizona and near Southern Nevada. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Light winds with northeast or east components during the afternoon and southwest components overnight will continue through Wednesday. VFR conditions with no significant clouds. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...Diurnal winds generally 10 knots or less are expected at most regional TAF sites through Wednesday. The exception will be KBIH where afternoon south winds 12-20 knots will develop. VFR conditions will prevail at all sites with no significant cloud cover expected. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && $$ UPDATE...Soulat SHORT TERM/LONG TERM/AVIATION...Adair For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter