Cooler temperatures for Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar

Sunday, April 3, 2011 | 7:39 a.m.

Say goodbye to the 80s — a cold front is bringing in gusty winds and more spring-like temperatures back to the Las Vegas area, according to the National Weather Service.

After a few days of temperatures soaring into the upper 80s and low 90s, today's afternoon highs will climb only into the upper 70s, the weather service said.

However, temperatures will still remain several degrees above normal as a cold front moves south through the Mohave Desert today, forecasters said.

Winds will shift to the north and be gusty down the Colorado River Valley through tonight, they said.

Gusty winds will persist down the Colorado River Valley on Monday, they said.

Skies are expected to be mostly sunny today through Tuesday, forecasters said.

Warmer weather will return Tuesday and Wednesday before another colder and more significant storm moves into the region late in the week. That storm could bring strong winds, especially across the Mohave Desert beginning as early as Wednesday night and continuing into Friday, they said.

At 6:56 a.m. today, the temperature at McCarran International Airport was 63 degrees. The normal low for today's date is 51 degrees. The record low was 31 degrees, set in 1955.

Around the valley just before 7 a.m., temperatures were 65 degrees at North Las Vegas Airport, 63 degrees at Nellis Air Force Base and 59 degrees at Henderson Executive Airport.

Temperatures in the valley were to rise today to 70 degrees by 9 a.m., to 75 degrees by noon and reach a high of 79 degrees by 4 p.m., forecasters said. The normal high for today's date is 74 degrees and the record high was 91 degrees, set in 1961, 1959 and 1943.

Temperatures are expected to drop to 78 degrees by 6 p.m., to 67 degrees by 9 p.m. and to 61 degrees by midnight, forecasters said.

Monday's morning low will be 54 degrees and Monday's high will climb to 75 degrees, they said.