IN FILE - Desmont Smith, who is homeless, sit in the shade of his shopping cart drinking water, near the train tracks in Phoenix where the temperature reached 108 degrees. ANN JOHANSSON/CORBIS/GETTY IMAGES
Temperatures in Las Vegas maxed out at 98 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, extending the city’s streak of consecutive sub-100-degree days to 293. However, AccuWeather experts say that the record-setting streak might end soon.
The last time the city’s official climate station recorded a temperature above 100 degrees was Sept. 8, 2022. The city set a new all-time record on Monday when the temperature topped out at 97 F, marking the 291st day in a row that the mercury failed to reach the century mark. Previously, the record for the number of consecutive days without a 100-degree temperature reading was 290, which was set between Sept. 12, 1964, and June 30, 1965.
The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Las Vegas tweeted about the record, which the office confirmed was based on temperature readings at the Harry Reid International Airport, the official climate site for the city which has kept records since 1937.
The NWS noted that the city’s temperatures were suppressed by the weather pattern, which favored broad low-pressure areas called troughs, not because there was more water vapor in the air – the city’s dew point observations have been close to the historical average.
We’ve talked a lot about Vegas temps, but there’s also a few isolated showers/storms in Esmeralda and northern Inyo Counties.
Check out this time lapse from Montezuma Peak! A little blowing dust, rain, and sunset all in one shot.
Images courtesy of @NVSeismoLab. #nvwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/GnejrCsOoT
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) June 27, 2023
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tom Kines said troughs are associated with cooler pockets of air in the atmosphere, and this week should see the current trough begin to break down, allowing temperatures to climb to higher levels.
“The trough has been very persistent over the southwest United States over the past few weeks,” Kines said. “The feature will weaken over the next few days, allowing a ridge [of high pressure] to take over. Unlike a trough, the ridge is associated with very warm or hot air this time of year.”
AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff added that the new high-pressure area, or heat dome, building overhead will mean much higher temperatures in the coming week. Temperatures on Thursday may come close to 100 degrees, but failing that, it’s likely the century mark will be eclipsed as soon as Friday or into early next week, she said.
The NWS said an excessive heat watch has been issued for the Las Vegas area from Saturday through Monday.
Produced in association with AccuWeather
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