Temperatures staying toasty in Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar

Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011 | 6:08 a.m.

Lather on the sun screen and keep the ice bucket full — hot temperatures are sticking around Las Vegas well into the upcoming week.

Dry and stable weather will remain in place through Wednesday as an area of high pressure gradually strengthens over the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures between six and 10 degrees above normal can be expected during that time, the weather service said.

Afternoon high temperatures will range today from around 97 degrees on the west side of the valley to around 107 degrees on the east side, forecasters said.

At 5:56 a.m. today, the temperature at McCarran International Airport was 80 degrees. The normal low for today's date is 79 degrees. The record low was 63 degrees, set in 1957 and 1944.

Around the valley just before 6 a.m., temperatures were 74 degrees at North Las Vegas Airport, 75 degrees at Nellis Air Force Base and 74 degrees at Henderson Executive Airport.

Temperatures in the valley were to rise today to 90 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 101 degrees and the record high was 110 degrees, set in 2009.

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.

Monday's morning low will be 82 degrees and Monday's high will climb to 106 degrees, they said.