Local Hazard History
Las Vegas's deadliest hazard is the heat. On July 7, 2024, the temperature at Harry Reid International Airport hit 120°F — the hottest reading ever recorded in the city, breaking a 117°F mark that had stood since 1942 and been matched only a handful of times since. That day capped a record stretch of seven straight days at or above 115°F, and 2024 became the valley's hottest summer on record. The desert's second signature threat is water, and it arrives fast. During the summer monsoon, thunderstorms drop intense rain on sun-baked ground that can't absorb it, sending walls of water down washes and streets within minutes. On August 11, 2022, monsoon storms sent floodwater pouring into Strip casinos — including Caesars Palace and Planet Hollywood — during the wettest monsoon season in a decade; two people were killed and rescuers pulled others from the water. Less expected is the ground itself: Nevada ranks among the most seismically active states in the country, with mapped faults near the valley, even though Las Vegas has so far been spared a major quake.