Ten people died in the Las Vegas Valley of heat-related causes.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Ten people died in the Las Vegas Valley of heat-related causes.
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 Aug 1, 6:52 PM PST, 5 hours 8 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 752 PM PDT Tue Aug 1 2023 .SYNOPSIS... Showers and thunderstorms are gradually diminishing this evening with loss of daytime heating. This activity is occurring within a very moist and unstable environment ahead of a compact mid level disturbance rounding the western edge of a mid level ridge of high pressure. Activity will likely linger into the evening with redevelopment early Wednesday. && .EVENING UPDATE... Scattered showers and thunderstorms returned to the picture today as the airmass remains quite moist through a deep layer. The 00z upper air sounding from Las Vegas revealed precipitable waters of nearly 1.5 inches, which is well above seasonal normals. This is all consistent with a lobe of moisture laden air rounding the western edge of an upper ridge extending from Arizona and New Mexico eastward. In addition, an encroaching compact mid level wave has facilitated weak lift across the region, which when combined with terrain affects, has given us decent shower and storm coverage today. Some of the stronger storms produced rainfall rates as high as 2 to 4 inches per hour within such a moisture rich environment. Thankfully, as daytime heating is lost and the airmass becomes a bit more stable, the intensity of any lingering storms should diminish. Still, locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds will accompany any storms that develop tonight. Heading into the overnight hours, high resolution models are insistent on a redevelopment of showers and storms as the weak upper wave moves over southern Nevada and northern Arizona. This may result in showers and thunderstorms affecting the morning commute with gusty winds, torrential rains and lightning. There remain some model solutions which are not as aggressive, but folks should be prepared for less than ideal driving conditions across the Vegas Valley Wednesday morning. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued at 158 PM PDT Tue Aug 1 2023/ .SYNOPSIS...Scattered thunderstorms will develop and move north this afternoon and evening, with some persisting overnight. Thunderstorm chances will push farther northeast Wednesday, becoming focused in northwest Arizona and south central Nevada as drier air spreads over southeast California. This dry air will cover the entire region by Friday, and high pressure building overhead will bring a return to above normal temperatures. && .SHORT TERM...through Thursday night. Early afternoon loops of satellite and area radars showed a similar situation to what unfolded yesterday, with some crucial detail changes. Similar to yesterday, a large area of debris clouds from overnight storms was moving through the region, with thunderstorm development occurring in areas which had cleared and gotten sunshine. Differently, the clouds were over the northern half of our CWA and moving north, versus being over the western half of our CWA and moving west yesterday afternoon. This shows how the flow pattern has changed in the wake of the disturbance which passed by yesterday. Surface dewpoints were in the 50s to mid 60s over most of the CWA, and precipitable water values were still above 1.5 inches southeast of Interstate 15, so storms were efficient rain producers and downdraft CAPE was limited. Wednesday, as southwest flow becomes entrenched, lower dewpoints and more stable air will spread over southeast California, which should limit thunderstorm chances to southern Nevada and northwest Arizona. The drying trend will continue northeastward Thursday, wiping out essentially all remaining PoPs. Then, the focus will return to heat as high pressure aloft noses back in from the southeast. The greatest effects will come in and possibly beyond the long term period. .LONG TERM...Friday through Tuesday. The plume of Monsoonal moisture responsible for early week showers and storms will lift northeastward as high pressure becomes reestablished across the southwest U.S. This results in rather high confidence in a return to hot and dry conditions this weekend. All of the ensembles point to this solution, with the National Blend of Models depicting a return of highs some 5 to 10 degrees above seasonal normals. This would mean highs of 105 to 110 in the Vegas Valley, and naturally hotter in our more heat-prone areas such as Death Valley and the Colorado River Basin. Otherwise, rather benign weather conditions are on tap with virtually no chance of meaningful precipitation. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Prevailing east winds of 12kts or less are expected at the field this afternoon. However, thunderstorm activity in and near the Vegas Valley will greatly influence wind directions at the field later this afternoon and evening, with outflow winds of 20 to 30 kts from the direction of the storms possible. The best time for impacts will be 22Z to 02Z, with most of the activity tapering off by 04Z. Light winds will return during the overnight hours, but another area of showers and thunderstorms will be possible on Wednesday morning, generally before noon. Dry and warmer conditions return for the end of the week. While smoke from the York fire in the Mojave National Preserve has diminished, reductions in surface and slant visibility are still possible at times through the TAF period. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwestern Arizona, and southeastern California...Showers and thunderstorms are possible across the entire area again this afternoon and evening, any of which will be capable of producing wind gusts of 20 to 30 kts from the direction of the parent storm. The most like time of impacts at the Las Vegas Valley TAF sites will be between 22Z and 02Z; between 21Z and 03Z at KBIH; Between 21Z and 01Z at KDAG; and between 21Z and 02Z at both KEED and KIFP. Away from convective activity, prevailing winds will be south to southwest. The threat of convection will gradually decrease from south to north on Wednesday, with only the Vegas Valley sites having a significant chance. While smoke from the York fire in the Mojave National Preserve has diminished, reductions in surface and slant visibility are still possible at times through the TAF period at the Vegas Valley sites. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && SHORT TERM...Morgan LONG TERM...Austin AVIATION...Planz && DISCUSSION...Austin AVIATION...Adair For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
703 PM PDT Tue Aug 1 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0645 PM Flash Flood 2 NW Summerlin 36.18N 115.36W
08/01/2023 Clark NV NWS Employee
Water over roadway at Lake Meade Boulevard
and Anasazi Drive. Landscaping rocks and
debris also in roadway.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
734 PM PDT Tue Aug 1 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0645 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 NW North Las Vegas Ai 36.24N 115.23W
08/01/2023 Clark NV Public
Large tree uprooted in the vicinity of US
Highway 95 and Craig Road. Time estimated
from radar.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
859 PM PDT Tue Aug 1 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM Flash Flood Red Rock Canyon 36.14N 115.45W
08/01/2023 Clark NV Public
Water running over paved road in Red Rock
Canyon with considerable rock debris over
roadway. Exact location unknown. Time
estimated from radar.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 heat. Local standard time, as filed.
Ten people died in Las Vegas of heat-related causes over the five day period.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-02 | 36 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-05 | 47 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-05 | 48 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-06 | 46 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-02 | 81 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-02 | 67 | Male | Permanent Home | Indirect |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-03 | 74 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-03 | 46 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-04 | 80 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Heat, Las Vegas Valley | 2023-08-05 | 74 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, August 2023
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: 1135961.