Here are 10 of the wildest all-time weather records in Las Vegas—the kind of extremes that make the Mojave Desert one of the most unpredictable climates in the U.S.:
Picture: CNN
🌡️ 1. Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded
- 120°F (July 7, 2024)
This is the all-time record high in Las Vegas, set during a brutal heatwave.
🔥 2. Most Extreme Heatwave Ever
- 5 straight days above 115°F (2024)
The longest stretch of dangerously high temps in city history—described as the most extreme heatwave since records began.
❄️ 3. Coldest Temperature Ever
- 8°F (January 13, 1963)
Yes, Vegas freezes—this is the coldest official temperature ever recorded.
🌧️ 4. Most Rain in a Single Day
- 2.6 inches (August 21, 1957)
That’s a massive amount for a desert city that averages under 4 inches annually.
🌊 5. Wettest Month Ever
- 4.8 inches (March 1992)
One month brought more rain than Vegas typically sees in an entire year.
🌧️ 6. Wettest Year on Record
- 9.9 inches (1992)
Nearly triple the city’s normal yearly rainfall—basically a desert anomaly.
☀️ 7. Most 100°F+ Days in a Year
- 112 days (2024)
That’s over 3 straight months of triple-digit heat.
🔥 8. Most Days Above 110°F in a Year
- 36 days (2024)
Shows just how intense modern Vegas summers have become.
❄️ 9. Biggest Snowstorm in Las Vegas History
- 9.7 inches (January 1949)
A full-on desert blizzard—still the largest official snowfall event.
(Unofficial reports go as high as 12 inches back in 1909.)
🌡️ 10. Wildest Temperature Swing in One Day
- 60°F difference (March 7, 1910)
Massive swing between daytime high and nighttime low—classic desert volatility.
🌵 Bonus: The Weirdest Desert Extremes
- Snowiest winter: 16.7 inches (1948–49)
- Longest dry streak: ~240 days without rain (2020, unofficial but widely reported)
- Hottest “low” temperature: 95°F overnight low (2013/2005)
Why Vegas Weather Is So Extreme
Las Vegas sits in the Mojave Desert, which means:
- Very low humidity
- Clear skies (more solar heating)
- Rapid heat loss at night
- Occasional monsoon storms that dump huge rain quickly
That combination creates some of the most dramatic weather swings in the country.