Cooler termperatures hit Las Vegas Valley

Monday, Oct. 18, 2004 | 9:50 a.m.

As if someone flipped a switch in the sky, warm autumn days have turned into cooler temperatures with winds and a chance of rain showers through the week.

Two separate weather systems are lined up to slam into Southern Nevada this week.

The first one arrived on Sunday from Southern California. Daytime temperatures peaked at 74 degrees, and winds gusting to 33 mph brought clouds that raced across the Las Vegas Valley.

There were also a few rain sprinkles Sunday, the National Weather Service said.

Today's high is expected in the 70s before the next weather event arrives.

The second system is a cold mass of air bearing down from the Pacific Northwest. Through midweek the system will plunge daytime highs into the 60s, 10 degrees below October's average temperatures in the 70s.

By Thursday the low is expected to dip into the upper 40s after rain falls in the valley on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas and the Sheep Range north of the valley may see snow flurries at higher elevations from the midweek storm, weather service forecasters said.

By Thursday night into Friday, skies should clear and temperatures are expected to warm up into the 70s. Next weekend is expected to remain dry.

It is too soon to tell if this week's rain indicates a wetter weather pattern through the winter months.