Pumpkin spice drinks have been released in coffee shops across Nevada; Labor Day weekend just ended, and people may start to see leaves change colors. No matter how many signs that autumn is just around the corner show themselves in early September 2026, it still feels like summer in Las Vegas.
In fact, an extreme heat warning is in the forecast for Las Vegas this week, the National Weather Service (NWS) said Tuesday morning.
Las Vegas residents and Southern Californians alike have been enduring more than 100-degree highs for the last three months and may feel like there is no end in sight. However, AccuWeather, a weather forecast company, shows that cooler temperatures are in store for Las Vegas in just a few weeks.
Here's a closer look.
How hot is it in Las Vegas?
Here is
the forecast for this week in Las Vegas:
- Tuesday, Sept. 8: Sunny. High near 99, low around 83.
- Wednesday, Sept. 9: Sunny. High near 104, low around 85.
- Thursday, Sept. 10: Extreme heat warning in effect. Sunny and hot. High near 107, low around 86.
- Friday, Sept. 11: Sunny and hot. High near 105, low around 83.
- Saturday, Sept. 12: Sunny. High near 101, low around 79.
- Sunday, Sept. 13: Sunny. High near 98, low around 77.
- Monday, Sept. 14: Sunny. High near 97.
California extreme heat warning
Las Vegas is expected to be under an extreme heat warning on Thursday, according to the NWS.
This warning extends to parts of Southern California, including Furnace Creek and surrounding areas. Towns near Las Vegas in Arizona are also under the extreme heat warning, including Kingman, Lake Havasu City, and Wikieup.
Moapa and Pahrump, in Nevada, are also under the extreme heat warning Thursday.
When is the first day of fall in 2026?
That depends on who you ask. Two dates, about two weeks apart.
For meteorologists, the first day of fall is Sept. 1. Meteorologists split the year into four three-month blocks, based on the Gregorian calendar, to make it easier to track and compare weather statistics from year to year.
Everyone else goes by astronomical fall, also known as the autumnal equinox, which is based on the Earth's position relative to the sun. It happens just as the sun crosses directly over Earth's equator.
The first day of fall is Tuesday, Sept. 22.
When is the 2026 autumnal equinox?
According tothe Griffith Observatory, the autumn equinox will be on Sept. 22 at 5:05 p.m. this year.
When will it start getting cooler in Las Vegas?
The NWS Climate Prediction Center's fall temperature outlook map for the United States shows above-average temperatures across much of the country from September through November. Southern Nevada has a 33-40% chance of above-average temperatures this fall.
However, the NWS doesn't predict actual temperatures this far out. AccuWeather releases long-range forecasts though, and predicts Las Vegas to see below-100-degree highs consistently by late September and cooling even more to below-70-degree highs by the end of November.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Las Vegas under extreme heat warning this week. When will it cool down?
