Cold and windy start to the week in Las Vegas Valley

Prepare for more cold and windy days in the Las Vegas Valley.

The strongest winds gusts from the front that arrived Sunday came shortly after midnight Monday, reaching 50 mph in several parts of the valley, according to the National Weather Service.

Monday and Tuesday will remain windy and cold, weather service meteorologist Clay Morgan said.

“We will have wind gusts from 30 to 40 mph for a big chunk of the day and they should settle down around sunset,” Morgan said. “As far as temperatures, I don’t think we’ll be out of the 40s today.”

Before the storm front arrived, Sunday’s high tied the record of 77 degrees, set in 1995.

By midnight, the mercury had dripped to 52 degrees and was headed downward.

Tuesday will be just as chilly with a forecast high of 48. Winds should be a bit lighter in the 20 mph range. Gusts could reach 30 mph, Morgan said.

Unlike last year, January started off bone dry for the valley. No precipitation was recorded at McCarran International Airport.

The normal is 0.76 inches of precipitation for January. Last year’s total was 1.04 inches as the valley began one of its top 10 wettest years.

“We had storms on three days during the month,” weather service meteorologist John Salmen said. “No storms this year.”

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0217. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.