Partly cloudy and warmer for Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar

Thursday, April 14, 2011 | 5:08 a.m.

Partly cloudy skies and temperatures climbing into the mid 70s are on the way to the Las Vegas Valley today, according to the National Weather Service.

Although there will be some variable high clouds, a generally dry northwest flow will be over the area into the weekend, the weather service said.

That will allow daytime temperatures to warm to above normal readings by Saturday, climbing into the mid to upper 80s, forecasters said.

At 4:56 a.m. today, the temperature at McCarran International Airport was 53 degrees, which is the normal low for today's date. The record low was 38 degrees, set in 1983.

Around the valley just before 5 a.m., temperatures were 50 degrees at North Las Vegas Airport, 49 degrees at Nellis Air Force Base and 49 degrees at Henderson Executive Airport.

Temperatures in the valley were to rise today to 68 degrees on the west side of the valley and around 75 degrees on the east side, forecasters said. The normal high for today's date is 78 degrees and the record high was 95 degrees, set in 2002 and 1962.

Temperatures are expected to drop overnight to 46 degrees on the west side of the valley and around 50 on the east side, forecasters said.

Friday's high will climb to 76 degrees on the west side of the valley and around 82 on the east side, they said.