Tonopah surpasses its all-time high temperature

Special to the Pahrump Valley Times Over the summer of 2020, numerous heat records were broken ...

Excessive heat warnings were in effect again last week for Nye and Esmeralda counties, along with much of the Southwest.

Pahrump and Tonopah broke multiple heat records over the weekend.

Tonopah tied its highest temperature on record on Friday and Saturday at 104 degrees, overtaking the record on Sunday at 105 degrees.

Pahrump reached 113, topping a daily record, on Saturday.

Pahrump, however, did fall short of its all-time record of 117 degrees, set back in 1924. Pahrump did make its fifth highest temperature on record on Saturday.

Tonopah last reached 104 on July 28, 2016. Tonopah initially set that record on July 18, 1960, according to data from the National Weather Service, which dates back to June 1924.

It should be noted that much historical data is unavailable for Pahrump and the weather station is not an official site for the weather service in Pahrump.

At the end of the hot nights and days this weekend, there was a show in the night skies as lightning was abundant for several hours and rain did fall for a short time in some parts of the Pahrump Valley.

Regional highs

Death Valley broke a daily record on Friday after hitting its 130-degree mark at Furnace Creek. The previous daily record was 129 degrees.

The Furnace Creek Visitors Center hit 130 degrees last August.

The long-running record of 134 still stands in Death Valley and has since 1913.

The reading is considered the hottest temperature on record.

For more information about Death Valley, head to www.nps.gov/deva

On Saturday, Las Vegas tied its all-time record high of 117 degrees but has yet to break it.

According to a summary on social media by the National Weather Service in Las Vegas, from July 7-12, Las Vegas broke three high temperatures and two warm low records.

Under those same parameters, Death Valley broke one high temperature and two warm lows.

Cooler temps ahead

Pahrump will stay in the triple digits in the coming days, but not near the record-setting level.

Wednesday will be sunny and hot with a high near 105 and a south wind of 8-10 mph. Thursday, the high temperature remains the same, but winds pick up and 18 mph gusts are possible.

High temperatures will remain in the low 100s for the rest of the week and into the weekend.

Contact Pahrump Valley Times Editor Jeffrey Meehan at jmeehan@pvtimes.com

Exit mobile version