Chance of thunderstorms Saturday in Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar

Friday, Aug. 12, 2011 | 5:28 a.m.

Mostly sunny skies and hot temperatures are heading in today to the Las Vegas Valley. But more clouds, cooler temperatures and possibly some wet weather is on the way for Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Although a dry flow of air will remain over most of the region during the day today, the beginning of a rapid change will take place tonight and into Saturday, the weather service said.

Brief heavy rainfall will likely be seen on Saturday, which might cause some localized flooding, forecasters said. Drier weather will return on Sunday, they said.

High temperatures this afternoon in the Las Vegas Valley will range from around 97 degrees on the west side of the valley to around 107 degrees on the east side.

At 4:56 a.m. today, the temperature at McCarran International Airport was 82 degrees. The normal low for today's date is 80 degrees. The record low was 60 degrees, set in 1949.

Around the valley just before 5 a.m., temperatures were 76 degrees at North Las Vegas Airport, 76 degrees at Nellis Air Force Base and 80 degrees at Henderson Executive Airport.

Temperatures in the valley were to rise today to 88 degrees by 9 a.m., to 99 degrees by noon and reach a high of 104 degrees by 3 p.m., forecasters said. The normal high for today's date is 103 degrees and the record high was 115 degrees, set in 1937.

Temperatures are expected to drop to 103 degrees by 6 p.m., to 96 degrees by 9 p.m. and to 90 degrees by midnight, forecasters said.