Temps staying above normal

Sherry Swensk

Friday, Aug. 22, 2008 | midnight

Kids won’t get a break from the heat when the school bell rings on Aug. 25, so parents should pack plenty of water in the backpacks and lunch kits. In fact, temperatures will stay above normal all the way through the weekend and into next week.

So now as August is winding down, I’m getting asked a lot, “How long will the triple-digits last? Shouldn’t we be done with them now?” I’d love to say that once we hit September, they’ll disappear, but that’s just not the case. Temperatures above 100 can last well into September, even though the normal average high is back into the 90s by then.

And as the extra heat eventually fades, so will the chances for summer thunderstorms. The season has been disappointing overall, while a few areas have recorded some nice downpours. Thankfully we didn’t get too many gully-washers, especially like the terrible flooding in the Grand Canyon just last weekend.

The 30-year average high for late August is right around the century mark, with morning lows in the mid-70s. But again, thanks to high pressure, heat will persist and, even with cooling overnight, the mornings will stay a bit above normal, too.

These clear nights are perfect for stargazing. Jupiter is rising in the southeast during the evening. Venus is now showing itself a little more in the west after sunset.

Have a safe, great weekend. Looks like a great weekend to take a ride on the Nevada Southern Excursion train.

Sherry Swensk is the morning weather anchor for KLAS-TV Channel 8. She can be reached at [email protected].