Living in Las Vegas – Las Vegas Climate

There are few things that vary like the twinkling lights of the Las Vegas strip–one of them is the Las Vegas weather. Living in Las Vegas is a treat, but many who move to the area from other climates or geographic regions are uncertain as to what they’ll expect. Most often, Las Vegas visitors hit the city during some of the hottest months of the year, June – August, but one thing is for certain, those three months don’t represent the full spectrum of the Las Vegas climate.

The Las Vegas Climate

When traveling through a desert region, it is obvious that only a few indigenous plant species thrive in such deprived conditions. Many who move to Las Vegas are under the impression that grass and other plants species really do grow there on their own. Only after having been around the community for a while is it obvious that very few things would grow there if it weren’t for the water from the nearby Colorado River which becomes Lake Mead at the world-famous Hoover Dam.

Living in Las Vegas means education is necessary about the Las Vegas climate. Yes, Las Vegas is scorching hot during the summer, but as the summer offers one desert extreme, the winter offers the other. It’s always interesting to visit Las Vegas in the winter months, beginning in November and pushing through February. Many visitors come with their shorts and t-shirts, not realizing that “high desert” equates to the opposite of tropical, or equatorial “deserted” regions.

The winter months in Las Vegas are cold. Even during the summer the nights cool off significantly from the extreme triple digit temperatures that heat the days; however, during the winter months the days are cool and crisp, even with the sun shining through clear, blue skies. As the short, wet season arrives, it is even possible to see snow in the city of Las Vegas. The mountains and passes surrounding the region are covered in heavy snow quite often.

Ultimately, Las Vegas offers a desert climate that presents both temperature extremes.

Las Vegas Climate – Air Quality

One thing that many people are unprepared for when moving to Las Vegas, or even in the first few months of living there, is the air quality associated with the desert climate. The Las Vegas air is incredibly dry. What does this mean? The low humidity presents several minor issues to those who are not acclimated to the surroundings.

Dehydration can become an issue in the Las Vegas climate. Most people equate the need to consume water with heat and sweating a lot. In a desert climate, like that of Las Vegas, very rarely will sweat make it through the skin before it has evaporated due to the heat and dryness. It sounds silly to many, but the next thing they know, their lips and skin are chapped, and they’re struggling with fatigue and even heat exhaustion problems. Drinking more water in the Las Vegas climate is a necessity when becoming acclimated to the local environment.

Along those lines, moisturizing lotion and proper SPF protection should be used year round, due to the intensity of the sun’s rays in Las Vegas. The arid environment can cause discomfort from skin issues, including chaffing from clothing in the harsh climate.