Triple-digit temperatures could hit LV Valley today

Wednesday, May 9, 2001 | 10:12 a.m.

Each May Southern Nevadans sweat out the arrival of the first 100-degree day of the year, then do little but sweat for the next four months.

That day is expected to be today as the National Weather Service at McCarran International Airport predicts that the 50-year-old May 9 record of 99 degrees will fall by late this afternoon.

"Our temperatures are a little above normal for this time of year, but the weather pattern is normal," said Jim Harrison, a meteorologist for the weather service in Las Vegas. "There is an upper level of pressure over the Southwest U.S., and that means heat."

Since record-keeping began in the 1940s, the Las Vegas high temperature has never topped 100 degrees in April or in any month before that. The earliest recorded century-mark day in a given year was May 1, 1947, when the mercury climbed to 102 degrees.

If today's temperature hits 100, today will replace May 9, 1941, in the record books as the hottest May 9 on record.

On Thursday the century mark again will be threatened as forecasters are predicting a high of 99 degrees under mostly sunny skies. More of the same, though slightly cooler, is expected through the weekend.

"There is a weak low pressure system moving in off the Pacific Ocean, and that should push the high pressure over New Mexico and cool things a little -- but not so that it is noticeable," Harrison said. "We're looking at the lowest high through next Tuesday being about 95 degrees."

Nightly lows are expected around 70 degrees with winds tonight out of the southwest at 5-15 mph, the weather service said.