Red flag fire warning, wind advisory issued for Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar (contact)

Published Monday, Sept. 28, 2009 | 6:32 a.m.

Updated Monday, Sept. 28, 2009 | 4:44 p.m.

If you're out Tuesday driving a high-profile vehicle — or if you're out in a camping situation — watch out for strong winds and wildfires.

Low humidity, high winds in the 40-mph range and temperatures close to 100 degrees are expected Tuesday, leading the the National Weather Service to issue a red flag fire warning for the Las Vegas Valley.

The weather service said the red flag warning will be in effect from noon Tuesday to 1 a.m. Wednesday. A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or are imminent, forecasters said.

The weather service has also issued a wind advisory to let drivers of high profile vehicles, like large trucks, know they should use caution.

The high winds are being brought in by a strong Pacific storm system that will move across California and Nevada Tuesday and Wednesday, forecasters saids.

The winds, along with the expected low afternoon relative humidity values of 15 percent or less, will create conditions for outdoor fires to spread, forecasters said.

So far today, Las Vegas has hit a high of 100 degrees this afternoon at McCarran International Airport, which is 11 degrees above the normal high for today's date of 89 degrees and just short of the record high of 103 degrees, set in 1978.

Temperatures were expected to reach a high again of close to 100 degrees on Tuesday, but the storm will bring a dramatic drop in temperatures on Wednesday, forecasters said.

Gusty winds will shift from the southwest to the north on Tuesday night and early Wednesday behind a cold front that will sweep across the region, the weather service said.

Wednesday's morning low temperature will be about 70 degrees and the high Wednesday will climb to about 76 degrees, forecasters said.

Thursday's morning low will be 58 degrees and Thursday's high will be near 77 degrees. Friday morning's low will be 56 degrees, forecasters said.