LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A triple-digit heatwave is baking southern Nevada and it’s not ending anytime soon. The excessive heat warning is extended to Sunday, July 23, at 8 p.m. Temperatures are expected to be in excess of 110 degrees each day. The current record for days in a row at 110 degrees or above is 10 days. It’s possible that the record could be met or broken.
The temperature of 116 on Sunday tied with the record temperature for that date. The city’s official temperature is recorded at Harry Reid International Airport and the highest ever recorded was 117 degrees. Here’s a look at the Las Vegas forecast.
- 111 Friday, July 14 (excessive heat warning)
- 114 Saturday, July 15 (excessive heat warning)
- 117 Sunday, July 16 (excessive heat warning)
- 114 Monday, July 17 (excessive heat warning)
- 112 Tuesday, July 18 (excessive heat warning)
- 111 Wednesday, July 19 (excessive heat warning)
- 113 Thursday, July 20 (excessive heat warning)
- 113 Friday, July 21 (excessive heat warning)
- 114 Saturday, July 22 (excessive heat warning)
- 112 Sunday, July 23
Not only is it hot, it could be wet. A surge of monsoon moisture is moving into southern Nevada that could bring isolated thunderstorms Monday afternoon and evening.
Disregarding the high temperatures can be a dangerous mindset. More Americans are killed by heat than any other kind of extreme weather.
“This heatwave is NOT typical desert heat due to its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, & warm nights. Everyone needs to take this heat seriously, including those who live in the desert,” according to a post on social media by the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.
Children, the elderly, and those with chronic ailments are usually the first to suffer from the heat. Here are some tips to avoid heat-related illnesses:
- Drink plenty of fluids such as water or drinks with electrolytes and avoid alcohol or caffeine.
- Stay in air-conditioned areas and avoid the sun.
- Try to accomplish outdoor activities/work in the morning rather than later in the day. Take breaks in cool, shaded areas.
- Wear lightweight or loose-fitting clothing.
Heat exhaustion can become heat stroke which can be deadly and requires immediate medical attention.
According to the National Transportation Safety Administration, nearly 40 children die every year in a hot car. It is against the law in Nevada to leave an unattended child in a vehicle. In more than half of the cases, someone forgot the child was in the car. Parents and caregivers are urged to get in the habit of checking the backseat of a vehicle before locking the doors.
The threshold for heat stroke in children is when the internal body temperature reaches 104 degrees. The inside temperature of a car can rise 30 degrees in one hour, according to Consumer Reports. It is against the law in Nevada to leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
Not only are people at risk but so are animals. Every year police officers from around the Las Vegas valley respond to calls of animals left in yards with no shelter or water or locked in hot cars.
Following the 2020 death of a dog named Lily who was left in direct sunlight, chained up, and not able to reach water or shade, a new law went into effect known as Lily’s Law which strengthened punishments.
Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson have similar laws regarding pets and heat. There must be ample shade and cool water. And when the temperature is expected to exceed 105 degrees, misters, swamp coolers, or air conditioning must be provided to keep the animal from overheating. No animal can be tied up for more than 10 hours in a 24-period and no animal can be tethered during any heat advisory.
It’s against state law to leave a pet unattended in a vehicle under dangerous conditions such as a heatwave. If you see this, you are urged to call 911.
While triple-digit heat isn’t unusual for this time of year, the Las Vegas valley is coming out of a milder-than-usual spring. It was the coolest June since 1998 and didn’t hit the first 100-degree day of the year until June 30, according to the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.
There will be little relief from the heat in the coming days because temperatures are expected to stay in the 80s during the overnight hours.
