In Las Vegas, residents should prepare for potential isolated showers and gusty winds today, with pockets of smoke from nearby wildfires possibly causing hazy skies through Sunday. According to the National Weather Service Las Vegas NV, the showers might crop up in the terrain of Clark and Mohave counties and, though minimal rain is expected to hit the ground, sudden gusty winds cannot be ruled out. The skies above Vegas may also appear hazy due to smoke from the Dragon Bravo Fire near the Grand Canyon and the White Sage Fire southeast of Fredonia, Arizona.
Locals should also brace to deal with above-normal temperatures early this week, as a persistent high pressure system threatens to escalate the mercury 6-8 degrees above the usual. “Most areas will be under Moderate HeatRisk today with pockets of Major around the Mojave Desert,” said the NWS. By Monday, these pockets are expected to expand, affecting larger areas including the Las Vegas Valley and Death Valley, which might seriously impact anyone without effective cooling or adequate hydration. A Heat Advisory has been issued for certain counties, and an Extreme Heat Warning will be in force for Death Valley and other parts of southern Nevada come Monday.
The NWS forecasts that the heat will begin to relent by midweek with a drop in temperatures as the ridge of high pressure slowly retreats. This cooldown could be accompanied by a return of monsoon moisture, although certainty regarding the precipitation and potential impacts remains low at this stage. “High temperatures will be close to normal by Wednesday and expected to remain near normal through the rest of the week,” stated the forecast discussion from the NWS…