FXUS65 KVEF 201612 AFDVEF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 915 AM PDT Fri Mar 20 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... * Heat headlines remain in effect as an unprecedented March heatwave continues into next week. && .DISCUSSION...through Thursday. The forecast remains largely unchanged thanks to a somewhat malleable ridge that models show holding over the southwestern US. Expecting temperatures to peak today, then subtly cool over the weekend as a weak system passes by. This feature brings breezy southwest winds and some high clouds, but that's about it. Ensemble guidance then has the ridge restrengthen next week, causing temperatures to rise a few degrees. Exactly how hot it gets will depend on the strength of the ridge and extent of mixing. Regardless, temperatures are going to remain well above normal for mid/late March as this historic heatwave continues. Here in Vegas, there is at least a 75% chance of reaching 90 degrees each day through Thursday. Should this materialize, it would put us at 9 days of 90+ degrees this March. For reference, we had just 1 March day of 90+ from 1937 (when records began) to 2003, and 12 March days of 90+ from 2004 to 2025. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...For the 18Z Forecast Package... Light wind this morning will become northeast after 19Z with speeds less than 7KT. Winds may briefly shift to the southeast after 21Z, but speeds will remain less than 7KT. Typical south to southwest winds return tonight around sunset. Clear skies will persist through the period. Very warm temperatures are expected through the weekend as high temperatures climb over 90 degrees each afternoon. Probabilities that temperatures reach 100 today and Saturday remain less than 10% today and Saturday. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...For the 18Z Forecast Package...Winds will remain under 10KT across most TAF sites today. The exceptions will be KIFP where northerly winds 10 to 20KT will persist through 23Z before diminishing to less than 10KT and KBIH where southerly winds gusting to 10 to 15KT is expected this afternoon. Winds overnight at all TAF sites will drop below 10KT. Clear skies will persist through the period. && .CLIMATE...Numerous climate locations have a forecast high temperature and/or forecast warm low temperature within 3 degrees of the daily record. The table below shows the daily record maximum temperature and the year the record was last set. An asterisk (*) denotes which records are in jeopardy (within 3 degrees of the forecast). MAX FRI, MAR 20 SAT, MAR 21 SUN, MAR 22 MON, MAR 23 Record(Yr) Record(Yr) Record (Yr) Record (Yr) Las Vegas 90(2004)* 92(2004)* 91(2004)* 89(2004)* Bishop 84(2004)* 84(2004)* 83(2004)* 82(2004)* Needles 97(2004)* 98(2004)* 97(2004)* 94(1990)* Daggett 94(1997)* 92(2004)* 92(2004)* 89(1971)* Kingman 89(2004)* 89(2004)* 87(2004)* 85(1956)* Desert Rock 86(2004)* 87(2004)* 87(2004)* 83(1990)* Death Valley 97(2004)* 101(2004)* 102(2004)* 99(2004)* The table below shows the daily record warm minimum temperature and the year the record was last set. An asterisk (*) denotes which records are in jeopardy (within 3 degrees of the forecast). WARM MIN FRI, MAR 20 SAT, MAR 21 SUN, MAR 22 MON, MAR 23 Record(Yr) Record(Yr) Record (Yr) Record (Yr) Las Vegas 68(2017)* 69(2017)* 62(2015)* 71(2004)* Bishop 46(2013)* 47(1978)* 46(1963)* 45(2012)* Needles 69(2017) 70(2017) 68(2004)* 71(2004) Daggett 60(2017)* 59(1978)* 62(2015)* 62(2004)* Kingman 54(1936)* 54(1978)* 55(2004)* 58(2004)* Desert Rock 59(2017)* 58(2017)* 54(2018)* 55(2012)* Death Valley 73(2017)* 73(2017)* 72(2022)* 72(1967)* && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && $$ DISCUSSION/CLIMATE...Woods AVIATION...Gorelow For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter