Windy today, with cooler temperatures, storms ahead

By Mary Manning

Friday, Oct. 3, 2008 | 6:22 a.m.

A change in the weather is on the way for Las Vegas — winds will kick up today, Saturday's temperatures will cool off and there's a chance for rain by Sunday.

By late morning southwest winds could be blowing 15 to 25 mph and temperatures are still expected to reach the upper 80s, even lower 90s, the National Weather Service said.

Thursday's high temperature of 94 degrees was 10 degrees above normal -- last year on Oct. 2 it was 84 degrees -- but nowhere near the record of 100 degrees set in 1980, the weather service said.

Tonight, when football games and family outings begin, the temperatures should be in the mid to upper 80s but the winds will continue, possibly gusting to 30 mph overnight. That's because the first major storm of this season is plunging south from the Pacific Northwest, about to banish the warmer-than-normal temperatures experienced all though September.

Clark County has issued an air quality advisory for blowing dust on Saturday, as gusty winds will continue as a chance of rain in Las Vegas Valley and a dusting of snow in the Spring Mountains is possible overnight Saturday. Saturday's temperatures are expected in the low to mid 80s.

As the storm system moves through Southern Nevada, Sunday's temperatures are expected to reach into the high 70s and the lows are expected in the lower 60s.

Monday's weather should remain cooler and breezy, but a dry forecast and gradual warming trend are coming through the middle of next week.