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Excessive Las Vegas heat extended to Wednesday evening

The excessive heat warning has been extended until 8 p.m. Wednesday by the National Weather Service.

That will make it more than eight days of excessive heat for the Las Vegas region to end August and begin September, which is the start of meteorological fall.

Temperatures at all hours of the day will remain 8 to 12 degrees above normal with highs around 110 through Wednesday and morning lows near 85.

On Labor Day, the forecast high is expected to be near 109.

The Tuesday low should be near 85 with an afternoon high near 111.

By Friday the high should be closer to normal with a projected 104 before a 97 on Saturday with a chance of isolated showers.

Electricity conservation urged

NV Energy is asking electric consumers to conserve electricity, especially from 5 to 8 p.m.

Clark County has several dozen cooling centers open, but most of them will be closed on the holiday.

Residents and visitors are reminded of some of the basic precautions, including:

— Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

— Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles.

[How extreme heat affects your body]

— Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening.

— Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible. Nausea, dizziness, headaches and muscle cramps are signs of heat exhaustion. With continued exposure to high heat and sunlight, the body could begin to experience multi-organ failure.

— Avoid outdoor activities in the hottest part of the day.

— To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Nevada workers at risk for heat illness have new protections.

— Heat stroke is an emergency. Call 911.

Lake Mead leveling off

The surface of Lake Mead was at 1,044.41 feet above sea level as of 3 p.m. Sunday. That’s a rise of 3.70 feet since its summer low of 1,040.71 feet on July 27, about the time heavy monsoon activity began.

Storm runoff and a drop in demand from downstream users have helped the lake rise during the summer, a rather uncommon occurrence.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com or 702-863-4285. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.

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