UH-OH: Vegas Hasn’t Broken a Low-Temp Record in 25 Years

Twenty-five years ago today, Las Vegas broke a low temperature record for the day. What most tourists, and even residents, haven’t noticed is that it hasn’t done so since.

That record, set on June 4, 1999, was 50° Fahrenheit. It broke a low of 54° degrees set in 1951. Though two record lows were tied since — on April 15, 2009, and Aug. 3, 2014 — not a single one has been broken in the 21st century so far.

In fact, according to the National Weather Service, the mercury from June through August hasn’t even dipped below 59°F at night since 2000.

Is This Really News?

The desert being hot may not seem like news, but it is when it gets hot enough to ring alarm bells. And half of the record high temperatures in Las Vegas have been set since 2000.

As you read this, an excessive heat warning is in effect for the region this week as temperatures inch up to, and perhaps surpass, 110 degrees.

And that’s because, between June 5-7, much of the Western US, Mexico, and Eastern Canada are expected to bake in extreme heat that, according to climatecentral.org, is “three times more likely because of human-caused climate change.”

If the temperature in Las Vegas reaches 110 on Wednesday, it will be the earliest in the year that the region has ever reached that brutal threshold. (On average, it doesn’t arrive until July 1.)

Since 1970, according to climatecentral.org, Las Vegas has seen an increase in average temperature of 5.8°. That makes it America’s second fastest-warming city. (Reno, Nev. reigns supreme at a 10.9° increase over the same period.)

If the increases continue, and there is no reason to expect they won’t, they can alter the water cycle, depleting the Colorado River of its snowmelt and Lake Mead of its water source. They can also exacerbate human health issues, endanger native wildlife, and increase the frequency and intensity of wildfires.

Check out Casino.org’s recently published tips for surviving Las Vegas’ summer heat.