Memorial Weekend: Vegas Weather Guide

Introduction

Memorial Weekend is a busy time in Las Vegas and for good reason. The sun is almost always shining, temperatures are warm, and pools are in full swing. If you’re planning on a visit to Sin City for the three day weekend, I’ll talk about what normally happens and some of the extremes for May 25-27.

Temperatures

May has one of the biggest changes in temperatures from the beginning of the month to the end. By Memorial Weekend, normal highs are 92-93F/32-33C up from the low 80s at the beginning of May. This weekend is essentially the start of summer because the first 100F/38C usually happens by the 24th. Nearly 20% of the days May 25-27 are 100F/38C or better. So while it can be hot, more times than not it is just pushing the boundary of what is hot.

And the nice thing about May is low temperatures still are dropping off pretty well. Normal lows this weekend are 69F/21C.

There have been some wild extremes this time of year. In 1951 the high temperature soared to 109F/43C. In fact, it was 105F/41C twice and 109F/43C. As recently as 2020 it was 107F/42C and in 2022 it was 102F/39C. On the other side of the spectrum, 1996 saw only 69F/21C for a high on the 25th. This is however, the only time it failed to get out of the 60s. Numerous days it has only been in the 70s. And in 2008 it was only 72F/22C.

At night it can still get quite cool, but with the urban heat island effect this is becoming less common. In 1953 it dropped all the way to 44F/7C one night. Low temperatures have not been in the 40s on these dates since 1980. More recently, it did get down to 52F/11C in 2019.

Death Valley

A word about Death Valley. If you’re planning to visit while you’re in Vegas keep in mind it can be significantly warmer there than in Las Vegas. In fact, it has been as high as 120F/49C and as recently as 2020 it was 118F/48C. You may cross the line from just being hot to dangerous if temperatures get this hot. Even the normal highs are around 104F/40C. Be prepared! Click here for a complete rundown on the Death Valley climate.

Rainfall

Less than 2% of the time does it rain in Vegas Memorial Weekend.

May is the second driest month of the year so rain on May 25-27 is pretty rare. In fact, only four times in the history of Las Vegas has there been measurable rain these dates. That less than 2% of all the days so rare is a pretty apt word. The most rain came in 1981 when 0.33” fell on the 27th. More recently, there was a trace of rain (not enough to measure) in 2019 but that was the last time it rained on these dates.

For more information about the month of May, check out my climate guide for the month below.

Conclusion

Memorial Weekend is truly a fantastic time to visit Las Vegas if you don’t mind some crowds. Temperatures tend to be very warm but not oppressive heat, making it for good pool weather. And if you’re out in the evening or early in the morning, temperatures are even more comfortable. Best of all, the odds of rain are so low I’d take a bet you won’t see a drop.