Storm heading for Las Vegas area

Strong winds to kick up dust, bring potential for wildfires, possible showers

Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 | 6 a.m.

Sun weather

Current conditions, today's forecast, neighborhood weather conditions, historical climatological information

Las Vegas will be fairly warm today. However, a Pacific storm is on the way that will brew up high winds on Tuesday that could spark wildfires and churn up clouds of dust and even bring a slight chance of showers to the region.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind watch and a fire weather watch for most of Tuesday for much of the region, including the Las Vegas Valley.

There's a potential for sustained winds reaching 30 to 40 mph Tuesday, with gusts as high as 60 mph, with even higher gusts up to 80 mph in exposed mountain areas, forecasters said.

The fire weather watch has been issued because of strong and gusty winds and low relative humidity of 15 percent or less, forecasters said.

Southwest winds will increase Tuesday morning and will become northerly late Tuesday into Tuesday night behind the cold front, the weather service said.

This morning, temperatures were starting out at 54 degrees about 6 a.m. at McCarran International Airport. Temperatures will climb to 64 degrees by 9 a.m. and to 73 by noon, forecasters said.

Today's high will reach 78 degrees by 3 p.m. The normal high for today is 76 degrees and the record high is 90 degrees, set in 1937. The record low was 35 degrees and the normal low is 52 degrees.

Overnight, temperatures will fall to a low of 55, then reach a high near 71 degrees Tuesday as the storm moves in.

Forecasters predict areas of blowing dust after 11 a.m. Tuesday, with winds gusting up to 46 mph for the valley.

There's a 20 percent chance of showers Tuesday night, with the low dipping to 48 degrees and winds gusting as high as 50 mph, forecasters said.

The cold front will drop temperatures to a low of 48 degrees by early Wednesday morning. Wednesday's high will reach only 59 degrees, with winds gusting from the northwest as high as 44 mph, forecasters said.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By environprotector

10/27/09 at 6:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

Whip it up.. Whip it good!!!
By bldblu

10/27/09 at 9:06 a.m.

Suggest removal

Today's high will reach 78 degrees by 3 p.m.

then reach a high near 71 degrees Tuesday

Isnt today Tuesday?

peace out
By adam1885282

10/27/09 at 11:42 a.m.

Suggest removal

bldblu, the article was written on Monday.