6 ways you know it’s fall in Las Vegas
After a blazing summer of near-record temperatures, autumn is officially upon the Las Vegas Valley.
Though the Vegas desert doesn’t exactly scream fall with a wide array of changing leaves like other regions of the country, there are still plenty of ways to find signs of the season across the valley:
It’s freezing (by Las Vegas standards)
Sounds obvious, but as recently as Sep. 28, valley highs peaked at 100 degrees. Traditional high temperatures range from 73 to 88 degrees in October, with averages of 66 degrees in November and 60 degrees through the first half of December.
Fall is perhaps one of the best times of the year to play “spot the local” on the Strip and in downtown. While native Las Vegans bundle up to avoid the cold, most tourists are coming here to escape snow — in shorts and a T-shirt.
The A/C can finally be shut off after the 5-month-long summer
Gone are the days of paying $100 or more each month to avoid roasting in your home. At least for now. If anything, you might even have to turn the thermostat up during chilly October and November nights, with average temperatures dipping as low as 40 degrees.
October and November are probably two of the few months when a pumpkin spice latte habit could cost more than your electricity bill.
Say goodbye to your favorite dayclubs
Both tourists and locals alike will have to wait until at least March to take a dip in most outdoor casino hotel and resort pools. But most indoor clubs remain open the entire year for the party to move inside.
Pumpkins — lots of rotting pumpkins
Through Halloween and even into November, the seasonal plant finds its way to Las Vegas valley homes, offices, schools and everywhere in-between. Las Vegans can even pick pumpkins of their own at places like Gilcrease Orchard, McKee Ranch, Seasonal Adventures and Stu Miller’s pumpkin patches.
With an average lifespan of eight to 12 weeks, pumpkins thrive in a near-ideal fall climate in Las Vegas, per an NPR report. Ideal temperatures for pumpkins are 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the report said.
Too bad those numbers only happen at night in Las Vegas, when during the day through most of October it stays above 75.
R.I.P. pumpkin.
Rebel Basketball is back
With basketball season just around the corner, UNLV opens with an exhibition game against Whittier College on Nov. 6. Depending on their success in pre-season tournaments, the Rebels could play up to 13 games before autumn’s end on Dec. 21.
UNLV’s football team continues their season through the end of the fall, with five games to go before the end of the season on Nov. 28.
You have an excuse to party earlier
It gets darker earlier in autumn than summer. Much earlier. With Daylight Savings time set to push the clocks back an additional hour on Nov. 1, the sun will set as early as 4:00 p.m. toward the end of the season.
Sunset in Las Vegas is about 15 to 20 minutes earlier than major cities like Chicago, New York City, and Nashville and up to an hour earlier than cities further south, like Miami, adjusted for time zone changes — just one more reason to start the party earlier.
Contact Chris Kudialis at ckudialis@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4593. Find him on Twitter: @kudialisrj