Building high pressure pushed temperatures close to records over much of the Mojave Desert. Twelve people died in Las Vegas of heat-related causes during and shortly after the heat wave.
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.
Building high pressure pushed temperatures close to records over much of the Mojave Desert. Twelve people died in Las Vegas of heat-related causes during and shortly after the heat wave.
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 Jun 9, 8:33 AM PST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
Issued by National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ
933 AM PDT Thu Jun 9 2022
.SYNOPSIS...Building high pressure will push temperatures up to
dangerous levels today and through the weekend. Excessive Heat
Warnings are in effect for most areas below 4000 feet. An incoming
trough will drop temperatures a few degrees on Sunday as winds ramp
up across the region, increasing the chance of wildfire spread.
Temperatures will briefly drop to near-normal early next week before
increasing once again.
&&
.UPDATE...The forecast is in good shape this morning with no major
morning updates needed. High pressure ridging is centered over the
Great Basin today and will gradually build north into the northern
Rockies, leading to continued warming across the area.
Temperatures today will warm a degree or two over yesterday's
highs and will begin to reach dangerous levels. Excessive Heat
Warning go into effect this morning for southeast California,
southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona.
&&
.DISCUSSION...Today through Wednesday.
The excessive heat is here. No changes in forecast thinking, with
Excessive Heat Warnings going into effect today at 10 AM PDT for the
lower elevations of eastern Inyo, San Bernardino, southern Nye,
Clark, and Mohave counties through Saturday as a building ridge
raises heights across the Desert Southwest. On Sunday, a trough of
low pressure will approach the California Coast, flattening the
ridge for the Great Basin and much of the Mojave Desert.
Temperatures will remain elevated to dangerous levels along the
Colorado River Valley, though, where the Excessive Heat Warnings
remain in effect through Sunday.
Of note, some monsoon-like convection is not out of the question on
Friday afternoon across portions of our forecast area. Moisture will
move clockwise around the high pressure situated over northern
Mexico and the southern Great Plains, pushing the moisture up
through the Sonoran Desert. PWATs between 0.75 and 1.00" will inch
up the Colorado River Valley, moving as far north as southern San
Bernardino and southern Mohave counties Thursday and Friday. ECMWF
ensemble means have moisture amounts between 180 and 200% of normal
for this time of year. Popcorn convection will form across much of
central Arizona on Friday, working with inverted-V soundings and
DCAPE values in excess of 1200 J/kg. Looking at forecast HRRR
soundings in southern Mohave County, instability over our forecast
area is meager, though not non-existent, with MaxTs exceeding
convective temperatures... promoting the possibility of convection
along outflow boundaries from central Arizona storms. Additionally,
a vort lobe moving into southern San Bernardino County may provide
ample dynamics for convection. CAMs/HREF starting to pick up on
slight chances in the higher terrain of southern Mohave and southern
San Bernardino counties as a result. To be clear, much in the way of
measurable rainfall is not expected, though cannot rule out isolated
lightning strikes or enough rain to ruin your car wash in these
areas Friday afternoon.
Southwesterly pre-frontal winds will set up across the Mojave Desert
Sunday afternoon, increasing wildfire concerns as afternoon relative
humidities drop down to the single-digits across the region. NBM
winds have increased compared to 24 hours ago, aligning better with
ECMWF means with a forecast 40-45 mph gusts across the Mojave
Desert. Will continue to take a look at how this system evolves and
issue wind-related and fire-related headlines accordingly.
Otherwise, the cold front associated with this trough will drop
temperatures back down to seasonal normals for the start of the work
week as winds diminish. This will be brief, though, as ridging will
be quick to return, with temperatures increasing back into the
triple-digits by mid-week.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Relative humidities will drop to the single-digits
across the southern Great Basin and Mojave Deserts each afternoon
through the forecast period. Afternoon breeziness will enhance fire
danger each day, with critical conditions peaking on Sunday as
southwest wind gusts range from 30 to 40 mph. Temperatures will
range 8 to 12 degrees above-normal through Sunday before dropping
close to seasonal averages for the start of the work week.
&&
.CLIMATE...Numerous locations have the potential to tie or break
record high and warm low temperatures next weekend.
The table below shows the record high temperature, the year the
record was last set, and the forecast temperature for all of our
climate sites.
MAX HIGH FRIDAY, JUNE 10 SATURDAY, JUNE 11
Record(Yr)/Fcst Record(Yr)/Fcst
Las Vegas 108(1996)/109 109(1956)/109
Bishop 102(1949)/104 102(1949)/103
Needles 121(1910)/115 122(1918)/115
Barstow-Daggett 110(1994)/109 109(1994)/108
Kingman 109(1921)/103 107(1918)/104
Desert Rock 104(1996)/104 104(1994)/104
Death Valley 120(1994)/121 121(1921)/121
The table below shows the record warm low temperature, the year the record
was last set, and the forecast temperature for all of our climate sites.
WARM LOW FRIDAY, JUNE 10 SATURDAY, JUNE 11 SUNDAY, JUNE 12
Record(Yr)/Fcst Record(Yr)/Fcst Record(Yr)/Fcst
Las Vegas 84(2014)/84 81(1996)/84 85(2013)/83
Bishop 65(1985)/59 62(1973)/61 63(2015)/59
Needles 88(1902)/82 84(2016)/82 95(1911)/82
Barstow-Daggett 77(2014)/77 77(1949)/79 77(2019)/80
Kingman 76(1955)/71 74(1921)/72 73(1926)/71
Desert Rock 79(2016)/74 73(1996)/76 81(2013)/73
Death Valley 92(2016)/91 92(1949)/92 92(1936)/91
&&
.AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Winds will maintain a southwesterly
direction with sustained wind speeds around 6-10 knots before
becoming light and variable. Southwesterly winds gusting 20-25 knots
return around 18Z later this morning.
For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast
California...Light and variable winds at KVGT will favor a southeast
direction later this morning before becoming southwesterly in the
afternoon with gusts of 20-25 kts. KHND will favor a more southerly
direction with 20-25 kt gusts developing later this morning. Gusty
southeast winds around 20 kts will develop at KBIH later this
morning. West to northwest winds around 10 kts at KDAG will become
light and variable later this morning before gusts of 20-25 kts
return later this afternoon. Light winds at KEED and KIFP will
increase to 10-15 kts, favoring a southerly direction later this
morning.
&&
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report
any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating
procedures.
&&
UPDATE...MCT
DISCUSSION/FIRE WEATHER...Varian
AVIATION...Salmen
For more forecast information...see us on our webpage:
https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and TwitterThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached three days in a row.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached three days in a row.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached three days in a row. Twelve people died in Las Vegas during and immediately following the heat wave.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached four days in a row.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached three days in a row.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-14 | 60 | Male | Mobile/Trailer Home | Indirect |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-09 | 57 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-09 | 51 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-11 | 48 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-11 | 59 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-11 | 68 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-11 | 56 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-12 | 58 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-12 | 52 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-15 | 58 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-13 | 81 | Female | Permanent Home | Indirect |
| Excessive Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2022-06-13 | 67 | Female | Permanent Home | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, June 2022
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: 1032186, 1032187, 1032189, 1032190, 1032191.