Extreme heat is not the only climate change impact Nevadans are feeling

Las Vegas saw its all-time hottest temperature on record of 120 degrees Fahrenheit on July 7. That week, the city also set a record streak with seven days at or above 115 degrees—and we’re still seeing highs above 110 in August.

Those temps will continue to climb in the years to come, thanks to climate change. According to 2022 data from nonprofit research group Climate Central, Las Vegas has warmed nearly six degrees Fahrenheit since 1970, making it the second-fastest warming city in the U.S. The fastest is our northern neighbor, Reno, which has warmed 7.7 degrees since 1970…

We’re all feeling the heat, but we’re not all feeling it equally. Every day, I drive my air-conditioned car to my job at an air-conditioned office, and I come home to an air-conditioned apartment. For those who don’t have their own transportation, work outside or are homeless, extreme heat is a completely different experience.

“Imagine you’re out there 12 hours a day when the sun’s up,” says Robert Banghart, outreach director for Shine A Light Foundation.