Record October heat hits Las Vegas Valley

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003 | 11 a.m.

The temperature in the Las Vegas Valley broke a 63-year-old record high Tuesday by reaching 94 degrees on the official thermometer at McCarran International Airport, the National Weather Service reported.

The old Las Vegas record of 91 degrees for Oct. 21 was set in 1940.

"We are obviously above normal for the month," forecaster Larry Jensen said.

This month could be one of the hottest Octobers ever in Las Vegas, Jensen said.

The record high for today is 90 degrees, set in 1988.

A dome of hot, heavy air is expected to cling to the Southwest until late Thursday, and a surge of cooler air is expected over the weekend, forecasters said.

Elsewhere in the region, Death Valley, Calif., set a record high of 103 degrees Tuesday, meteorologist Ernie Cobb said. The old record was 102 degrees set in 1929.

Lake Havasu City, Ariz., hit 101 degrees Tuesday, topping the old record of 100 degrees set in 1995, Cobb said. Needles, Calif., also hit 101, breaking the old mark of 95 also set in 1995.

North Las Vegas Airport saw 95 degrees Tuesday, breaking the old record of 90 set in 1959, Cobb said.

And Laughlin hit 99 degrees, beating the old mark of 96 set in 1988.

Several areas in Southern California are also experiencing record heat.