Highs in mid 70s for Las Vegas

By Dave Toplikar

Monday, April 4, 2011 | 5:30 a.m.

A warm and sunny day, with highs in the mid 70s, is on the way this afternoon to the Las Vegas Valley, according to the National Weather Service.

North winds will diminish as a ridge of high pressure develops and brings warmer temperatures on Tuesday, with highs in the low 80s, the weather service sadi.

Significant changes are coming later this week from a strong area of low pressure that will cross the area Friday and Saturday, the weather service said.

Strong winds are possible as early as Wednesday acros Inyo and San Bernardino counties in California, forecasters said.

The high winds will spread east into southern Nevada and northwest Arizona Thursday and Friday, making for difficult driving conditions for high profile vehicles and reducing visibility because of blowing dust and sand, they said.

There will be a good chance for rain showers and snow showers Friday and Saturday, with the greatest precipitation in the mountains of southern Nevada and northwest Arizona.

A big cool-down is coming Saturday, with high temperatures around 15 degrees below normal, forecasters said.

At 4:56 a.m. today, the temperature at McCarran International Airport was 51 degrees, which is the normal low for today's date. The record low was 31 degrees, set in 1945.

Around the valley just before 5 a.m., temperatures were 52 degrees at North Las Vegas Airport, 52 degrees at Nellis Air Force Base and 49 degrees at Henderson Executive Airport.

Temperatures in the valley were to rise today to 58 degrees by 9 a.m., to 67 degrees by noon and reach a high of 75 degrees by 5 p.m., forecasters said. The normal high for today's date is 75 degrees and the record high was 94 degrees, set in 1961.

Temperatures are expected to drop to 74 degrees by 6 p.m., to 66 degrees by 9 p.m. and to 61 degrees by midnight, forecasters said.

Tuesday's morning low will be 56 degrees and Tuesday's high will climb to 8 degrees, they said.