LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Happy Independence Day!
After a few days of monsoonal activity, the Fourth of July will be considerably hotter and drier, which has substantially elevated fire danger around the region.
Temperatures are seasonably warm, with a return to daytime highs around 100 degrees for most of our neighborhoods today.
Most professional fireworks shows around the valley kick off around 9 p.m., when temperatures will hover in the mid-90s, before dipping down into the 80s overnight tonight.
Breezy to gusty winds will play a big role in our forecast today, with sustained winds in the 20 mph range in the afternoon, and settling down a bit in the evening. Gusts could be anywhere between 25 and 35 mph, which could be fairly inconvenient for any outdoor plans on the Fourth.
The hot and dry weather combined with gusty winds and more people lighting fireworks or barbecues on the holiday has significantly elevated fire danger around the region, with a Red Flag Warning in place for Clark, Lincoln, White Pine and southern Nye Counties in Nevada, Mohave County in Arizona and several counties in southwestern Utah.
Smoke from the Madera Fire burning more than 50,000 acres in San Luis Obispo County in California will be blowing into our area today due to our southwesterly flow, so hazy skies can be expected through the long holiday weekend.
Right now, air quality is forecasted to be in the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" category—meaning an AQI of 100 or higher—but the amount of haze will make it look and feel like our air quality should be more significantly impacted, especially as smoke from fireworks around town starts to fill our skies.
As we look ahead, a huge area of high pressure begins building over the desert southwest next week, which will continue to dry out our air and bring us our hottest temperatures of the year. No heat watches, warnings or advisories have been issued yet, however I'd expect that to change as the week wears on—our Heat Risk is forecasted to be back in the "major" to "extreme" category by next Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures set to hit 111 and 112 respectively.
In the meantime, enjoy your Fourth of July and celebrate responsibly!
