Highs to soar to near 70 for Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar

Monday, Dec. 13, 2010 | 6 a.m.

Another sunny day with afternoon temperatures climbing to near-record levels is headed to Las Vegas today.

Today's highs are expected to range from the mid 60s on the west side of the Las Vegas Valley to the low 70s on the east side, according to the National Weather Service.

Stargazers will have a good night to watch the Geminids meteor shower — mostly clear skies with temperatures in the low 50s and upper 40s are expected overnight during prime viewing between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., the weather service said.

The warm clear weather had been caused by an area of high pressure that has been fixed over the region.

But it will gradually break down today and Tuesday, forecasters said.

A series of storms is expected to move into the region by mid week, bringing an increase in cloud cover, cooler temperatures, gusty winds and chances for mountain snow and valley rain, they said.

The high at McCarran reached 70 degrees at 3:26 p.m. Sunday, which was four degrees below the record for that date of 74 degrees.

At 5:56 a.m. today, the temperature at McCarran International Airport was 45 degrees. The normal low for today's date is 37 degrees. The record low was 19 degrees, set in 1949.

Around the valley just before 6 a.m., temperatures were 44 degrees at North Las Vegas Airport, 38 degrees at Nellis Air Force Base and 43 degrees at Henderson Executive Airport.

Temperatures at McCarran were to rise today to 56 degrees by 9 a.m., to 65 degrees by noon and reach a high of 68 degrees by 4 p.m., forecasters said. The normal high for today's date is 57 degrees and the record high was 70 degrees, set in 1952, 1948 and 1937.

Temperatures are expected to drop to 60 degrees by 6 p.m., to 54 degrees by 9 p.m. and to 51 degrees by midnight, forecasters said.

Tuesday's morning low will be 46 degrees and Saturday's high will climb to 66 degrees, they said.