Las Vegas air quality still suffering from wildfire smoke on Monday

The Clark County Division of Air Quality issued a smoke alert for Sunday and Monday due to wildfire smoke from the Post fire in California, and smoke from multiple wildfires in Arizona drifting into the Las Vegas Valley.

On Sunday, most monitoring sites showed moderate air quality. Ozone and both small and large particulate matter were mostly in the moderate category from Apex in the northeast to Jean in the southwest.

“Under today’s conditions, it may be best for children, the elderly and people with respiratory and heart disease to stay indoors,” the DAQ wrote in its smoke alert.

Air quality is expected to largely return to the good category by Wednesday. That could be pending more fire developments. Moderate ozone quality will remain through the week as it’s part of the usual elevated levels in the summer heat.

A red flag fire warning remains in place for the Colorado River Valley and Mohave County in Arizona. Single-digit afternoon humidity and gusty southwest winds have elevated the fire danger, according to the National Weather Service.

The Monday high temperature is forecast to be around 101 with southwest winds of 8-18 mph and possible gusts up to 25 mph.

One day of ‘cool’

A trough of low pressure from the Pacific Northwest moving east will make Tuesday the coolest day in the past several weeks. The morning low will be around 73 degrees in the central valley rising to a high around 94 degrees. Winds may gust to 21 mph.

“We like to call it less hot rather than a cold front,” meteorologist Clay Morgan said. “It will be just enough to tamp things down a bit for a day, especially after how hot it has been.”

Highs will return to around 101 on Wednesday before escalating a few degrees each day into the weekend when highs will near 110.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.