Hot, dry blast to blow through Las Vegas, fire warnings to north

By Dave Toplikar

Friday, Aug. 14, 2009 | 6:20 a.m.

Hot, dry blustery winds and 100-plus degree heat will belt the Las Vegas Valley today, according to the National Weather Service.

The desert blast will include temperatures of 103 degrees by this afternoon and winds from 17 to 20 mph, gusting as high as 30 mph, the weather service said. The normal high temperature for today's date is 102 degrees and the record high was 111, set in 2002.

High winds and low relative humidity levels have led the weather service to issue flash fire warnings to counties to the north and west of Las Vegas.

A red flag warning is in effect from noon to 8 p.m. today for central Nye County and Lincoln County, the weather service said.

Southwest winds will increase late this morning and early this afternoon, bringing gusts between 35 and 45 mph and low relative humidity levels between 8 and 14 percent to those counties, the weather service said.

The high winds are likely to produce areas of blowing dust and make driving difficult for high profile vehicles, the weather service said.

Wind advisories have also been issued from 8 tonight until 4 a.m. Saturday for San Bernardino County in California.

Wind gusts up to 45 mph are expected to develop between Barstow and Trona, producing blowing dust and making driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles along State Highway 395, the weather service said.

The high winds today are from an unusual August cold front that is moving into central Nevada tonight and early Saturday morning, the weather service said.

Besides the dry air and strong winds, the cold front is ushering in some lower temperatures for the weekend for Las Vegas.

The temperature will fall to a low around 78 degrees by early Saturday morning. And Saturday's afternoon high will climb to only 99 degrees, which is slightly below normal.

Saturday night will be clear, with the low dropping to 76 degrees.

Sunday will be continue to be slightly below normal, with temperatures reading a high of near 100 degrees, the weather service said.

The extended forecast calls for highs of 99 degrees on Monday and 102 on Tuesday.