The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory through 11 p.m. Friday due to temperatures reaching over 100 degrees in the Lahontan Valley.
Fallon set a record Wednesday with a high of 106, shattering the previous record of 103 degrees set in 1931.
Thursday high reached 107, breaking 104 degrees set in 1934. Friday also calls for 107 degrees. The readings are breaking records set more than 80 years ago.
Meteorologist Scott McGuire said highs for the weekend have been revised. He said Saturday’s high is pegged at 104, and Sunday should see a high of 102. The triple-digit heat continues into Monday with a high of 100.
“It’ll be hot for the next three days,” McGuire said, adding daytime temperatures have been 10-15 degrees above average.
Furthermore, officials from both NV Energy, which supplies power to county residents, and the city of Fallon Public Works Department said Thursday they are able to accommodate the increase in electricity due to the increased use of air conditioners, swamp coolers and fans.
McGuire said a high-pressure ridge over the Great Basin has remained stationary, but the area should see some afternoon thunderstorms on Saturday. He said thunderstorms south of Highway 50 will be great, but it remains to be seen if the storms affect Churchill County. McGuire said the prediction is for a 20 percent chance of rain.
“It will be a little surge south of you but not like last year when dew points reached 50,” he said.
Churchill County experienced a wetter-than-normal summer in 2015 when numerous thunderstorms rolled through central Nevada, thus resulting in isolated flooding in both the county and city.
McGuire said the next 10-14 weeks will remain hot, but according to the long term forecast, he said a cold upper level low coming in from the northern Pacific Ocean could result in significant cooling.
As previously reported in Wednesday’s LVN, McGuire said elderly residents must be careful in dealing with the hot weather, and friends or family should check on them regularly. Additionally, he said pet owners also have a responsibility to ensure their cats and dogs and any other animals don’t become victims to the heat.