Las Vegas deep-freeze weather to persist

A cold front will persist in Las Vegas for the next couple of days, driving temperatures down to the mid-20s during the early morning hours and possibly into the high teens in Summerlin , according to the National Weather Service.

In the meantime, Catholic Charities has opened up a shelter for the homeless that can accommodate as many as 300 men, ages 18 and older, each day. The shelter will probably close after Monday, the nonprofit group said.

Larry Jensen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas, expects temperatures to hit lows of 26 degrees on Sunday morning, 27 on Monday and 29 on Tuesday. The daytime highs will be in the low 40s.

Normally this time of year the daytime highs reach into the upper 50s, something not expected until Thursday and Friday.

"All this is being caused by a good northerly flow dropping down out of Canada," Jensen said. "It blows across the snow-covered ground to the north of us in Reno, then keeps coming, getting colder as it comes."

Catholic Charities is at 1511 Las Vegas Blvd. North. It will be open around the clock, and closed only for housekeeping, shelter officials said.

Contact reporter Tom Ragan at tragan@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5512.