Record-breaking heat in Las Vegas, Nevada
Image credit: NWS Las Vegas
Las Vegas recorded its highest daytime temperature on Sunday, July 7, 2024, when the mercury reached 48.9 °C (120 °F) at the Harry Reid Airport. The extreme heat in the region claimed 2 lives and left one hospitalized.
On July 7, the mercury soared to 48.9 °C (120 °F) at the Harry Reid Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada at around 16:00 LT, marking the highest temperature recorded there since records began in 1937. The previous record was 47.2 °C (117 °F), which was hit five times — in 2021, 2017, 2013, 2005 and 1942.
NWS said the temperature reached 48.3 °C (119 °F) at 15:13 LT, less than an hour before that the airport hit 47.8 °C (118 °F), at 14:33 LT, Sunday.
Dark red & dark orange indicate tied / broken records from this heat wave so far (since July 4th).
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 8, 2024
16 daily max temp records
2 daily warm min temp records
4 all-time max temp records
Record-breaking temps forecast to continue through the week.#VegasWxRecords #VegasWx pic.twitter.com/YbqEgwcR4O
NEW RECORD: Las Vegas, NV just recorded its hottest day since records began in 1937 with a scorching high temperature of 48.9°C (120°F). This shatters the previous record of 47.2°C (117°F) which was hit five times in 2021, 2017, 2013, 2005 & 1942. This is a truly historic day. pic.twitter.com/u817AoTgty
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) July 8, 2024
Well, it managed to hit 120° at Harry Reid Airport. #nvwx
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 7, 2024
Las Vegas high temperature has hit 118° degrees. Preliminarily this set the all-time record high. #nvwx pic.twitter.com/7jXJLr0JmG
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 7, 2024
Numerous daily record high temperatures once again broke or tied today. Also, preliminarily all-time record high temperatures were set or tied at Las Vegas, Bishop CA and Barstow-Daggett CA. #nvwx #azwx #cawx #HeatSafety pic.twitter.com/nfq37dHf6h
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 8, 2024
The National Weather Service’s highest alert, was in effect for about 36 million people, or about 10% of the population, said NWS meteorologist Bryan Jackson. Dozens of locations in the West and Pacific Northwest tied or broke previous heat records.
The heat caused the death of a Motorcyclist in Death Valley on July 7. Another person died from heat exposure at Death Valley National Park in eastern California on July 7 and another person was hospitalized, officials said. Temperatures there reached 53.3 °C (128 °F) on July 6 and 7.
Regions in Northern California surpassed 43.3 °C (110 °F), with the city of Redding topping out at a record 48.3 °C (119 °F). Phoenix set a new daily record July 7 for the warmest low temperature: it never got below 33.3 °C (92 °F).
The extreme heat will persist till July 12. High temperatures up to 41 to 44 °C (105 to 111 °F) are expected in the Owens Valley, 43 to 48 °C (110 to 118 °F) in Las Vegas, Pahrump, and Barstow, and 50 to 54 °C (122 to 129 °F) at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park.
References:
1 Excessive Heat Warning – NWS – July 8, 2024
2 Persistent heat wave in the US shatters new records, causes deaths in the West and grips the East – AP – July 8, 2024
3 Las Vegas hits 120 degrees, hottest day on record – FOX 5 – July 8, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
Concrete, asphalt and steel all warming urban areas to unsustainable levels. We need more trees in the big cities.
Same holds true of flooding. There is no porous ground or roots to soak up heavy rains, just hard surfaces. I would suggest that it’s time to rethink how we build cities, but many people would regard that as a government/environmentalist conspiracy.