NWS Issues Excessive Heat Warning For Las Vegas: ‘Avoid Alcohol’

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning starting Wednesday, according to the seven-day forecast.

The heat will start to cook up around Wednesday afternoon with a high of 105°F. The north wind will be around six to eight mph.

The National Weather Service predicts this Independence Day to be a scorching one. The forecast states the day will be sunny with a high of 104°F in Las Vegas. The excessive heat warning will last throughout the weekend.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, we can expect about 332,000 tourists this upcoming weekend. So, the heat mixed with "Vegas partying" can increase the chance of having a heat-related illness like heat stroke, dehydration and more, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.

"Heat-related illness occurs when a person’s body temperature rises faster than it can cool down, which may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke, ultimately damaging the brain or other vital organs.," the Southern Nevada Health District said in a press release.

If you plan to do any activities outside, avoid the hottest hours of the day, which is usually around 10 a.m. to 3/4 p.m. The Vegas sun bakes anything in its path with its powerful rays, so it often feels even hotter when you're in its direct path.

The National Weather Service also recommends people to avoid caffeine and alcohol due to dehydration risks.

"Yes, the desert gets hot in the summer. But this heat will be well-above-average for many days & temps will not adequately cool overnight to give the body proper recovery," the NWS said on X (formerly Twitter).

The rest of the weekend will be hot as well. Friday's high is 105°F, and Saturday's high is 106°F. It will be very sunny and hot throughout the rest of this week with little relief at night.

Be sure to stay hydrated constantly throughout this week. Dehydration can sneak up on you, especially if you're a recent Vegas transplant.

Along with this extreme heat snap, the previous month of June was "the hottest ever" in Las Vegas.

June 2024's average temperature was 94.6°F, according to the NWS. In June, we had 28 days of 100°F+ highs. The normal number od fays with 100°F+ weather is 17.

"What's more impressive is how much we beat the old records by. Avg High Temp was beat by 1.2°F, which is more than what separates 2nd & 8th place," the NWS said on X.

Scams are a scary thing, so you should know these new scams that are trending. It's easy to think that you could never fall for a scam, but the truth is that scammers are getting better and better and what they're doing, so it's getting more difficult to stay safe.

Before we get into the new scams that are trending, it's worth reminding ourselves of some age-old scams. Some scam artists just keep doing the same thing, and they keep getting successful results. The IRS has some good information out about tax-related scams and how to avoid them. On the agency's official website, they warn that seniors are often targeted in scams. This was true years ago and is still true. On their site, they warn taxpayers not to fall for scams targeting older adults. "Scammers pretending to be government officials, aim to steal sensitive personal information and money," they state. "By posing as representatives from agencies such as the IRS, or other government agencies, these fraudsters use fear and deceit to exploit their victims."

Another big scam that's been around forever is scammers claiming their services are needed to settle with the IRS and "that their debts can be settled for 'pennies-on-the-dollar' or that there is a limited window of time to resolve tax debts through the Offer in Compromise (OIC) program." The IRS says "these promoters are often referred to as 'OIC Mills.'" In a release, the IRS adds that an Offer in Compromise "mill" will "usually make outlandish claims, frequently in radio and TV ads, about how they can settle a person's tax debt for cheap. In reality, the promoter fees are often excessive, and taxpayers pay the OIC mill to get the same deal they could have received on their own by working directly with the IRS. This takes unnecessary money out of the taxpayer's wallet."

"Too often, we see some unscrupulous promoters mislead taxpayers into thinking they can magically get rid of a tax debt," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. "This is a legitimate IRS program, but there are specific requirements for people to qualify. People desperate for help can make a costly mistake if they clearly don't qualify for the program. Before using an aggressive promoter, we encourage people to review readily available IRS resources to help resolve a tax debt on their own without facing hefty fees."

Now, let's move onto the new scams to avoid.

The AARP warns of a new scam called the "check cooking scam." The AARP states, "In check cooking, thieves take a digital picture of a stolen check and then use commercially available software to alter it." It can look super real, but it's fake. So, how do you stay safe? "Consider using a safer payment method, such as a credit card," they suggest.

The AARP states also warns of a new sweepstakes scam where "instead of trying to get you to pay taxes or other fees in advance to collect the nonexistent prize, the scammers will ask for personal information so that they can validate you and set up the payout." Just say no.

These days, AI scams are big. Experian.com says today, scammers use technology to "write more convincing and natural-sounding phishing emails and text messages." They can also "Impersonate the victim's friend or relative and ask for money as part of a grandparent scam." It's scary stuff. Beware of anything that sounds too crazy, as these can often seem far-fetched, but AI makes them look real.

Experian.com says that student loan forgiveness scams are on the rise. They note that, "scammers may contact you via phone or create phony application sites aimed at stealing your Social Security number or your bank account information." Don't give out your information. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

This one is really wild. With the games on the way, scammers can use the games to scam you. The AARP states, "A scammer hacks someone's email account, and shortly after, all of that person's contacts will receive the same message — something to the effect of, 'Hey guys, I'm over in Paris and my wallet got stolen! Can anyone please help me out by sending gift cards or a Venmo deposit?"

Whether the scam is new or old, the best way to avoid it is to stop and think about what's happening. These scam artists are super good at what they do, but if you just stop for a moment and really think out any actions, you can avoid making a rash decision that could cost you.