Las Vegas Temperature Exceeds Brutal, Blistering Conditions: Causing Heat-Related Deaths
The Las Vegas temperature has broken records this past week. On Tuesday, the temperature high reached 117 degrees, making this the second hottest day in Las Vegas, according to the National Weather Service.
This past week has put Las Vegas in a bubble of pure heat. The Las Vegas Review-Journal further reports that the city has endured temperatures that exceed 115 degrees for the past four days.
“The official thermometer has not been below 90 degrees since 5:40 a.m. Sunday, nearly 60 hours,” the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports
The National Weather Service also reports that high temperatures that exceeded 120 degrees were recorded in Bishop; California, Kingman; Arizona, Needles; California, Barstow; California and Desert Rock; Nevada.
Heat-Related Illness Increase, Motorcyclist Dies At Death Valley National Park,
On Saturday, the temperatures scorched Death Valley National Park, reaching 128 degrees. According to the LA Times, a group of motorcyclists toured the park near Badwater Basin.
A park ranger said the group of motorcyclists became “distressed” by the intense hear, and one of the riders died.
One of the riders was pronounced dead at the site, and another person with severe heat illness was taken to Las Vegas,” the LA Times reports.
Along with this death at Death Valley National Park, officials at medical centers have reported an increase of heat-related illnesses.
“The number one heat-related issue they are seeing is heat exhaustion but that can lead to heat stroke which can result in death,” 8 News Now reports.
How Las Vegas Temperature Effects Infrastructure, Tourism
Along with illness, heat can cause damaging effects on infrastructure, cars and homes.
Many airlines have to delay flights due to extreme heat. The LA Times reported that air expands due to the heat, and it becomes thinner than cold air. So, it’s harder to get the “lift” needed for takeoff.
On the bright side: We will rarely see “buckling” roads, which often happen in cities that are not accustomed to extreme heat.
The Northwest Heat Wave of 2021 caused roads to buckle and melted power lines in Seattle. This most likely won’t be the case in Vegas because our infrastructure is made for extreme heat.
The Nevada Department of Transportation and other public utility companies use high-heat materials when building roads and highways, Fox 5 reported.
According to NV Energy’s outage map as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, 249 customers were affected due to power outages. But this is a relatively low number of outages. In comparison, 4,800 customers in Reno were affected by power outages, according to 2 News Nevada.
The Las Vegas temperature has been brutal. But there are ways to combat this heat. If your AC unit is on the ground, NV Energy recommends keeping the area clean. Keep your lights and appliances off when not in use. Also do not open your windows, which will not help airflow.
Further., be sure to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen if you’re going outside for more than 10 minutes. Be safe, stay cool and don’t get heatstroke!
The Poop Museum And 6 Weird Nevada Attractions You Must Visit
1. The Clown Motel: Tonopah, Nevada
The Clown Motel is just plain weird. And it is said to be haunted – which is not hard to believe. I have been to it, but refuse to stay, because it is like something out of the X-Files the Scully and Mulder would have even avoided, But it is quite the tourist attraction. At least check out the weird gift shop.
2. The Middlegate Shoe Tree: Dayton, Nevada
It’s a tree with a bunch of shoes hanging over branches. The story is that a couple got in their first fight as newlyweds, they had an argument right near the tree, and one left the other walking home, without shoes. They patched things up, but made an anniversary tradition out of going back each year to throw a shoe on the tree. It’s interesting. In Dayton, Nevada, about 50 miles from Fallon Nevada, on The Loneliest Road In America.
3. The Car Forest: Goldfield, Nevada
The call it the Free Range Art Gallery. There are dozens of cars, vans, and trucks half-buried, or sticking straight up out of the ground, and even on top of each other. These are the canvas, and they are really colorful, and festive. It’s a really cool sight to see, in the living ghost town of Goldfield.
4. Seven Magic Mountains: Las Vegas, Nevada
The Seven Magic Mountains were supposed to be a temporary exhibit, but they have been up since 2016. About 20 minutes outside of Las Vegas are seven fluorescent colored, 11 story rock towers. They have become a bit of have become something of a cult classic, and they are a GREAT photo op. A really cool sight to see!
5. The National Atomic Testing Museum: Las Vegas, Nevada
There were over 900 atomic tests in Nevada. And people would take buses to see the testing. It was a huge draw for Las Vegas, and people came in from everywhere. People would bus out to the test site, put their goggles on, have a cocktail, and enjoy watching the mushroom clouds in the sky. It was quite the attraction on Las Vegas in the 50’s. The Atomic Testing Museum, though, is quite amazing, and full of history. A huge, actual, nuclear reactor, a backpack nuke, and personal atomic weapons. Yikes! But the Oppenheimer era was fierce in Las Vegas.
6. Little A’Le’Inn: Rachel, Nevada
The Little A’Le’Inn is just as kitschy as you would imagine! You can stay there, eat there, and shop. All a play on the Area 51 test site, that is not too far down the road. And all part of the heyday of the Las Vegas atomice times. Do NOT try to trek on over to Area 51, and think you’ll get past anything. Lights go on, and guards swarm in from nowhere! Just keep close to the Inn.
