High pressure slowly strengthening overhead pushed temperatures in the Mojave Desert to dangerous levels.
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.
High pressure slowly strengthening overhead pushed temperatures in the Mojave Desert to dangerous levels.
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 11, 3:41 AM PST, 5 hours 19 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 441 AM PDT Mon Aug 11 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... * Above-normal temperatures continue through the first half of the week, with Extreme Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories in effect. * Isolated shower and thunderstorm activity possible across various parts of the forecast area, with best chances in our eastern zones mid-to-late week. && .DISCUSSION...Today through Monday. The Desert Southwest remains sandwiched between two ridges - one over the northeastern Pacific Ocean and one over New Mexico. Over the next few days, the Pacific Northwest high will meander southeastward, centering itself over our forecast area by Tuesday. As a result, expect persistent above-normal temperatures, with afternoon readings ranging 4 to 8 degrees above seasonal normals. Extreme Heat Warnings are in effect for Death Valley National Park, western and southern San Bernardino County, far southern Nye County, northwestern Clark County, and southern Mohave County at 10 AM this morning, with areas expanding to include the Las Vegas Valley, eastern and southern Clark County, and eastern San Bernardino County on Tuesday. Heat Advisories are in effect on Tuesday for the Owens Valley, Esmeralda County, central Nye County, Lincoln County, northern Mohave County, and the Clark County Mountains, as higher elevations will provide minimal respite from valley heat. Today and Tuesday, expect widespread Moderate Heat Risk, with increasing coverage of Major Heat Risk (with isolated instances of Extreme) across lower elevations. With the center of the high overhead, temperatures are slower to cool off Wednesday onward. Will continue to assess over the next couple of shifts, but temperatures in lower elevations may warrant an extension of Extreme Heat Warnings into Wednesday. Troughing approaches the Pacific Northwest late-week, which will deamplify the aforementioned ridges and bring cooler temperatures to the region heading into next weekend. Another cell formed over the San Bernardino Mountains south of State Route 62 yesterday afternoon. PWATs will retreat from southern San Bernardino County today as the PacNW high noses into the region, so we are not expecting anymore shower or thunderstorm activity this afternoon. As mentioned in previous forecast discussions, modest moisture increases across the southern Great Basin on Wednesday, which has increased PoPs on Wednesday across our northern zones to 10 to 20%. Meanwhile, both the ECMWF and GFS ensemble means indicate that a southerly flow mid-to-late week will bring 0.75 to 1.25 inches of monsoonal PWAT to far southern Nevada, far southeastern California, and northwestern Arizona. PoPs will range 30 to 50% across eastern Mohave County Wednesday through Saturday, with between 10 and 30% PoPs across Lincoln, Clark, and eastern San Bernardino counties. Most likely impacts include gusty winds, frequent lightning, and isolated instances of heavy rainfall, particularly with storms that form over the higher terrain. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...For the 12Z Forecast Package...Light and variable winds early this morning start to favor a northeasterly direction by late morning, likely lasting through the afternoon. Southwesterly winds of less than 10 knots return after sunset. No operationally significant clouds or weather expected at the terminal, although wildfire smoke could reduce slantwise visibility aloft. Temperatures meet or exceed 100 degrees between 18Z and 05Z, peaking around 109 degrees. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...For the 12Z Forecast Package...Expect generally diurnal winds today. Gusty northwesterly winds arrive at KBIH in the afternoon, and westerly to southwesterly winds pick up at KEED and KDAG in the evening. Lofted smoke across San Bernardino County and far southern Nevada may reduce slantwise visibility at times. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && DISCUSSION...Soulat AVIATION...Meltzer 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.
Extreme Heat Warning criteria were reached on three straight days.
Extreme Heat Warning criteria were reached on two straight days.
Extreme Heat Warning criteria were reached on two straight days. One person died of heat-related causes.
Extreme Heat Warning criteria were reached on two straight days.
Extreme Heat Warning criteria were reached on two straight days.
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 | 2025-08-12 | 84 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nevada in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Nevada, August 2025
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: 1293177, 1293178, 1293179, 1293181, 1293182.