Warmer temperatures in forecast today, again

By Mary Manning

Friday, Sept. 26, 2008 | 8:43 a.m.

Although clouds are expected to increase over Southern Nevada, by kickoff time on Las Vegas football fields tonight, temperatures are expected to be five to eight degrees above normal.

Thursday's high was 99 degrees, nowhere near the record of 106 degrees set in 1947, the National Weather Service said.

Today's daytime highs are expected to be in the same range but players and spectators may feel a bit more humidity in the air. Again, the all-time high temperature was 106 degrees on Sept. 26, 1947.

This morning's low was 72 degrees, same as Thursday's reading at McCarran International Airport, the official weather station for Southern Nevada. This is the 22nd time this month that Las Vegas hasn't fallen below 70 degrees for a low temp in September, the weather service said. Las Vegas has tied the record of 22 days set in September 2003 for the greatest number of low temps 70 degrees or higher.

Thursday's low brings Las Vegas within one day of the 23 days set in 2001, so days and nights are staying warmer.

If temperature trends continue, Las Vegas is on course for September to be one of the 10 warmest on record. By Wednesday, the average monthly temp at McCarran was 84.5 degrees, which is 2.1 degrees above normal.

For the weekend clouds will stick around, mainly over the mountains. While northwestern Arizona and Southern California could see some showers or thunderstorms, the forecast calls for warmer than normal temperatures with clouds. An isolated thunderstorm can't be ruled out.

By early next week, however, an autumn weather pattern could chill the air enough to settle into more normal highs in the 80s. And there's a chance for rain during the week.