Meager Rainfall Defines the Month (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Las Vegas – The valley wrapped up January with far less precipitation than usual and temperatures that ranked among the mildest in history.
Meager Rainfall Defines the Month
January offered a brief tease of wetness before settling into prolonged dry conditions. Harry Reid International Airport recorded only 0.14 inches of rain, nearly half an inch short of the typical 0.56 inches. Officials with the National Weather Service noted that most of the month’s total fell on New Year’s Day.
This pattern echoed recent years. Since 2020, the area surpassed or matched the average just once, in 2023 with 0.68 inches. The airport saw zero rain in 2025 and 2020, while 2022 brought a mere 0.06 inches.
Temperatures Climb to Record Heights
Las Vegas residents savored above-normal warmth throughout the month. The average temperature hit 52.1 degrees, 2.6 degrees warmer than normal and securing fifth place on the all-time list since records began in 1937. The hottest January remains 2003, at 54.1 degrees.
Forecasters anticipate similar mildness for the coming week. Andy Gorelow of the National Weather Service predicted highs in the low 70s, about 10 degrees above average. He added that no new records appeared likely.
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Month’s Key Weather Moments
Several events punctuated the otherwise steady weather. A freeze warning issued on January 10 marked the winter’s first, as lows dipped to 34 degrees. High winds on January 8 gusted up to 30 mph and triggered scattered power outages across the valley.
January 14 stood out as the warmest day, reaching 73 degrees. These swings highlighted the month’s variability amid the dominant dry trend.
- Recent January Precipitation (Harry Reid Airport):
- 2026: 0.14 inches
- 2025: 0 inches
- 2024: Not specified in records
- 2023: 0.68 inches
- 2022: 0.06 inches
- 2021: Not specified
- 2020: 0 inches
Relief in Sight for February
Conditions may shift soon. A Pacific storm system approaches Southern Nevada around February 10, promising a more dynamic pattern. Gorelow described it as not particularly strong, cautioning that precise rainfall amounts remained uncertain this early.
Temperatures should ease into the low 60s, aligning with mid-February norms. Last year followed a similar script: no rain until February 13, when 0.57 inches ended a 214-day dry streak. That 2025 ultimately ranked as the wettest year since 2019.
- January 2026 rainfall totaled 0.14 inches, well below the 0.56-inch norm.
- Average temperatures of 52.1 degrees made it the fifth-warmest January on record.
- A potential storm next week could break the dry pattern, though impacts are unclear.
Las Vegas continues its streak of subpar January rains, underscoring the desert’s arid nature even in winter. Will February bring the needed moisture? Share your predictions in the comments.
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