Excessive heat warning runs through weekend in Las Vegas Valley

Across the Las Vegas Valley, Clark County has taken measures to ensure people have places to retreat from the heat.

This week’s triple-digit highs will stick around through the weekend and into next week, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service has issued an excessive heat advisory through Sunday, with temperatures matching or coming just within record highs.

Day shelters and cooling stations have been set up to offer havens from the summer heat for about eight years, Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said.

“It just gives folks more places where they could go if they need to or if they want to, to get out of the heat,” he said.

Friday’s high hit 107 degrees in some parts of the Las Vegas Valley — tying a record set in 1957 — and Saturday’s high is expected to rise to 109 degrees, the weather service said.

Highs will dip slightly from there, with 107 forecast for Sunday, then down to 103 on Monday and Tuesday.

At noontime in the Dula Gymnasium on East Bonanza Road, coordinator Trina Lewis said no one had come in to use the orange cooler that sits filled with ice water. She said the day shelters at the Salvation Army across the street probably attracts most people seeking refuge from the heat.

“It’s a nice little set-up,” she said, referring to the orange cooler. “They just make sure they’re in the needed areas.”

At Cambridge Recreation Center, friends Mike Levine and Dean Smith hung out in the lobby of the center, located near the intersectio of Cambridge Street and Twain Avenue.

Smith, 37, said he knew about the cooling station from last year.

“It’s only so often they have cold water in here,” Smith said.

Levine, 57, said last year, they had cold water there two to three times a week.

Dave Drummond sat at one of the tables, passing time before he had to go to work.

The 28-year-old said he stops by often; he considers himself a local, living four blocks away from the center.

“I know this is a place where people come to get out of the sun,” he said, adding the air conditioning at his apartment was broken. “I like coming here for the Wi-Fi too.”

The day shelters are open until Sept 30. The cooling stations will be available at 11 locations across the valley through June 5.

Review-Journal writer Christian Bertolaccini contributed to this report.

Contact Melissa Gomez at mgomez@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0278. Follow @melissagomez004 on Twitter. Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find @MaxMichor on Twitter.