90 in March? Las Vegas prepares for extended heat wave

Mark Davis, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Mar 9, 2026

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If you thought it was warm at the beginning of this month, wait until this weekend.

A major heat wave is expected to infiltrate Southern Nevada by the end of this week, with record daily high temperatures expected to be set, including the first 90-degree day of the year.

The National Weather Service, on a post on X, said daytime highs will reach 86 degrees by Thursday in the Las Vegas Valley, with highs in the low 90s by Saturday and Sunday.

“Early season heat can be dangerous because we’re not acclimated … Plan to stay as hydrated and cool as possible,” the post said.

On March 1, Harry Reid International Airport registered 86 degrees, breaking the previous record of 82 degrees set in 1986.

Death Valley National Park in eastern California could hit the 100-degrees mark for the first time this year. Last year, it reached the century mark on March 25, the third-earliest in its history.

The early-March heat is a continuation of a theme. Last month was the second-warmest February in the valley since record-keeping began in 1937. January 2026 was the fifth-warmest January on record.

Las Vegas is on track to experience its warmest winter on record, with temperature outlooks forecasting a toasty spring to come, weather scientists say.

— Las Vegas’ earliest 90-degree day happened March 13, 2007.

— The average first 90-degree day is April 15.

— On March 26, 2025, Las Vegas recorded its first 90-degree day of the year. The NWS said it was “the 5th earliest 90-degree day” in the valley’s history. The temperature later reached 92 degrees, one degree shy of the daily record set in 2022.

— The average daytime high for the valley in early March is in the low 70s.

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