Strong high pressure built over the Mojave Desert, resulting in Excessive Heat Warning criteria being reached in several zones.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 built over the Mojave Desert, resulting in Excessive Heat Warning criteria being reached in several zones.
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 May 27, 9:10 AM PST, 2 hours 50 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 1010 AM PDT Wed May 27 2020 ..SYNOPSIS...Unseasonably hot weather is expected across the region today through Friday with high temperatures near record levels. A modest decrease in temperatures will occur over the weekend along with gusty south winds. && .UPDATE... Hot temperatures on tap for today with readings across much of the the region around 5-10 degrees above was seen yesterday at this time. Las Vegas is expected to top out around 106 today with areas around Lake Mead and the Colorado River topping out closer to 110. There could be a few culumus developing over the Sierra, but thunderstorms chances will remins highest over the western slopes. No updates needed. && PREV DISCUSSION 255 AM PDT Wed May 27 2020 ..DISCUSSION...through next Tuesday. High pressure builds and expands over the Southwest today through Friday resulting in a period of temperatures hot enough to threaten some all time heat records. An Excessive Heat Warning is in place for much of the lower elevations over the next 3 days in response to elevated concerns of experiencing heat related impacts due to the hot conditions. In addition to the climbing temperatures, some areas will see breezy afternoon winds today and Thursday along with a slight chance of a shower over mainly the Sierra. A low pressure system which has been spinning south and west of 30N/130W for several days will slowly begin its approach towards the west coast over the coming days, eventually brushing the coastline as it lifts off to the north. This will bring stronger southerly gusts to the area Friday and Saturday which could be of sufficient strength to warrant wind headlines for parts of the area so be on the lookout for further discussions concerning winds. The winds will elevate fire weather concerns as well due to the combination of increasing wind, hot temperatures and ongoing dry conditions. Fire weather headlines will not be issued this morning but could be in the near future. Beyond Saturday, the weather pattern becomes increasingly uncertain with a developing trough and associated low pressure system. The placement and orientation of the trough will be key in determining the extent of cooling over our area next week. The MEX guidance shows a much more pronounced cooling by dropping temperatures below normal with troughing forecast inland while the ECE guidance would keep temperatures above normal across our region with troughing off the coast. && .CLIMATE...Here are the record high temperatures for primary climate locations today through Friday. Location May 27 May 28 May 29 Las Vegas 108/1974 109/2003 108/1984 Kingman 105/2003 104/2003 102/2003 Bishop 100/2003 102/2003 99/2003 Needles 113/1896 115/1968 118/1910 Barstow-Daggett 107/2003 111/2003 110/1984 Death Valley NP 117/2014 121/2003 118/2002 && .FIRE WEATHER...A heat wave today through Friday will intensify drying of fuels across the area ahead of increasing south winds Friday afternoon and especially Saturday. Strong winds with gusts over 35 mph will be possible for Esmeralda, central Nye and northern Lincoln counties increasing the potential for critical fire weather conditions. && .AVIATION...For McCarran...Winds will generally be less than 10 knots through early Thursday morning favoring typical southwest components in the evening and overnight then easterly components during the afternoon hours. High clouds early will give way to some hi-based cumulus over the higher terrain this afternoon. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...A building area of high pressure will produce generally light winds less than 10 knots across most of the region today. With the unseasonably hot temperatures look cumulus buildup to develop over the higher terrain this. It possible a brief shower or thunderstorm could develop over the high Sierra. Little rain is expected but outflow winds could produce gusts to 30 knot. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && UPDATE...Gorelow DISCUSSION...Salmen AVIATION...Pierce 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.
5 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for three straight days.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for three straight days.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for three straight days.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for three straight days.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached for three straight days.
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, May 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: 892311, 892312, 892313, 892314, 892315.