Tent of high pressure keeps LV warm

Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 | 8:58 a.m.

Children wrapped their winter jackets around their waists and walked to school in short-sleeved shirts this week as Southern Nevada temperatures soared above normal for January.

Some Las Vegas residents wore shorts while working in their yards after 10 days of rain gave way to sunshine and high clouds that acted like a tent over the Las Vegas Valley.

Those conditions kept temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s instead of the January average of 57 degrees for daytime highs.

Winds remained calm, not ruffling palm tree fronds or flags on Thursday.

Although the temperatures will stay above normal through the weekend, National Weather Service forecasters say that once the dome of high pressure over Southern Nevada shifts by the end of next week, clouds, cooler temperatures and possible rain showers will return.

Thursday's high of 69 degrees was three shy of the record set in 1971. Even Wednesday's high of 71 degrees was no match for the 74-degree high set in 1971.

As the clouds swirled in from tropical moisture streaming over Baja California, afternoon temperatures won't threaten those balmy highs in the 70s, Jim Harrison, a Weather Service meteorologist, said.

The valley today had a chance to tie or top the high temperature of 69 degrees set in 2000.

"We might have a slight chance of breaking the record," Harrison said, but clouds were increasing and thickening overnight.

The clouds are too high and dry to produce rain this weekend, but they will reduce sunlight and the chance of record-breaking temps.

Nothing will disturb the calm, clear air above Southern Nevada until Thursday night, weather service meteorologists said. That's when a surge of moisture could arrive from the Pacific Ocean.

Low temperatures this week have hovered in the mid to low 40s. The lows are expected to remain in the 40s throughout next week.

Even the temperatures at Mount Charleston warmed up from the single digits. Thursday's high reached 57 degrees.