Strong high pressure continued to bring dangerously hot temperatures to the Mojave Desert. The episode began in July.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS VEF wrote it up.
Strong high pressure continued to bring dangerously hot temperatures to the Mojave Desert. The episode began in July.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 31, 8:56 PM PST, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 956 PM PDT Fri Jul 31 2020 .SYNOPSIS...High pressure over the desert southwest will dominate the weather pattern through the next week, resulting in hot and dry conditions. Subtle relief in temperatures can be expected early next week but it will remain unseasonably warm for the foreseeable future. && .UPDATE...After a hot day - record heat for some locations - temperatures still running fairly hot into the night. The only weather to consider tonight would be adding the Owens Valley into the Excessive Heat Warning - with highs near records all the way up to Bishop. Rather efficient nighttime cooling with lows in the 50s is keeping HeatRisk marginal at best for them, so will let the overnight crew decide, with no changes or updates needed this evening. && .DISCUSSION....Today through next Friday. Some shallow mid-level moisture will be moving into the region today, so expect flat cumulus clouds to develop this afternoon, primarily over the higher terrain. With dry low levels and a very stable atmosphere, not anticipating anything more than a few towering cumulus in eastern Mohave County this afternoon. Hazy skies are possible in the region again today with on-going wild fires north and west of the area. Hot temperatures with little overnight relief are expected through Saturday creating a high Heat Risk for most of the population across the region. The culprit for these unseasonably warm temperatures is the 590+mb ridge currently over southern NV and AZ. This ridge will remain centered over AZ over the next few days. A trough developing in the Pacific NW will allow for subtle lowering of heights over the area Sunday as the ridge gets pushed south and east a bit. Even so, temperatures will remain uncomfortably warm Sunday, but minimum temperatures will dip enough for Heat Risk to drop to moderate levels. A few weak shortwave perturbations moving through the flow will further suppress the ridge Monday. By Tuesday-Wednesday, a slightly better shortwave will develop off the California coast, keeping weak southwest flow over the area. The exact evolution of this shortwave has continued to differ each model cycle, so specifics on it's influence on temperatures and winds are still not clear, but will likely bring some breezy southwest winds and temperatures closer to seasonal normals. As of now, it looks like there will be minimal movement with this shortwave through the end of next week and even into next weekend, keeping dry southwest flow over much of the area. Some moisture may get funneled up across far eastern Mohave County, but confidence is low, and the reality that this monsoon season may end up being a complete 'dud' is becoming more and more likely. We will remain hopeful. && .AVIATION...For McCarran...Southwest winds gusting around 20 knots will settle down to around 10 knots near sunset, then gusts of 20 to 25 knots will return around midday Saturday. Gusts around 20 knots can be expected again Sunday afternoon, with no operationally significant clouds through the weekend. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...South to southwest winds gusting up to 25 knots in the afternoons can be expected through Saturday, with lighter winds for most areas on Sunday. Aside from a few towering cumulus over the higher terrain of Mohave County and smoke near wildfires, no operationally significant clouds are expected. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && UPDATE...Steele DISCUSSION...Kryston AVIATION...Morgan For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for one more day. The event began in July.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for one more day. The event began in July.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for one more day. The event began in July.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for one more day. The event began in July.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for one more day. The event began in July.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for one more day. The event began in July.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, August 2020
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 911514, 911515, 911516, 911517, 911518, 911519.