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More clouds than sun today, a slight chance for an isolated thunderstorm. Look for the high today around 92.
Triple-digit temperatures could return to Ely this weekend, with the forecast calling for highs near the century mark.
If Ely reaches 100 degrees, it would mark the first time the city has hit triple digits since July 11th, 2024, when the official high temperature reached exactly 100 degrees.
Ely’s high elevation, at about 6,400 feet above sea level, helps keep extreme heat events relatively uncommon compared with much of Nevada. Since official weather records began in the late 1800s, Ely has only reached 100 degrees or higher a handful of times.
The city also recorded a 100-degree day on July 16th, 2023. Ely’s all-time record high is 101 degrees, reached twice — once on July 18th, 1998, and again on July 12th, 2002.
In fact, 2002 remains the hottest year on record for Ely when it comes to triple-digit heat, with just two days reaching 100 degrees or higher. Even with Nevada’s reputation for summer heat, Ely’s mountain climate usually keeps those extreme temperatures rare.
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White Pine County Commissioners will meet tomorrow morning at 9 in the White Pine County Library Conference Room in Ely.
Among the agenda items, county officials will receive updates from the Health Officer and local fire chiefs on fire district operations and wildfire preparedness. Commissioners will also consider submitting comments on proposed Bureau of Land Management grazing regulations before a July 13th deadline.
The commission is expected to discuss accepting ownership of the old Lund School property at no cost from the White Pine County School District and consider supporting a nearly half-million-dollar parking lot improvement project at the Kinnear Library in McGill.
Other agenda items include several state grant awards for emergency management, social services, specialty courts, and approval of a temporary management assignment for the White Pine County Golf Course. The meeting will be broadcast live here on K-E-L-Y.
The Ely City Council meets Thursday evening with several major funding and community development items on its agenda. Council members will consider transferring the city's 2026 private activity bond allocation to the Nevada Rural Housing Authority and decide who will represent Ely at this year's Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities Conference. The council will also receive updates on efforts to secure additional state and federal funding and hear a quarterly report from the White Pine Chamber of Commerce. Other business includes accepting a $603,750 Community Development Block Grant for upgrades to the city's wastewater treatment plant and considering an abatement order to remove trash and debris from two properties on Fay Avenue. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. at the Ely Volunteer Fire Hall.
The White Pine County Sheriff's Office responded to a variety of calls on July 5, including several involving juveniles. Two juveniles were detained after a traffic stop for minor in possession of alcohol, with the driver also cited for driving without a license and failing to stop at a stop sign. Both were released to their parents, and the case was referred to Juvenile Probation.
Deputies also arrested 36-year-old Vincent Marotta of Elko after locating a stolen vehicle entering White Pine County. He faces charges including possession of a stolen vehicle, evading law enforcement, reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, and resisting an officer.
Other calls included a cow blocking a state highway, welfare checks, stranded motorists, juveniles riding dirt bikes on a county road, and an intoxicated pedestrian who was safely picked up by a family friend.
Firefighters continue making steady progress on two wildfires in eastern Nevada. The Grapevine Fire remains 95 percent contained at nearly 26,500 acres, with crews now focused on patrols and repairing fire lines. Meanwhile, the Parsnip Peak Fire northwest of Pioche is holding at 2,264 acres and is now 65 percent contained. Firefighters continue mopping up hot spots and strengthening containment lines around the fire's perimeter as suppression efforts move into the next phase.
Nevada rural utilities are bracing for major changes as Lake Mead continues to fall, threatening hydropower production at the Hoover Dam.
Jeniffer Solis at the Nevada Current quotes federal projections showing the lake could drop below 1,035 feet within the next year—cutting dam output by about 70 percent as older turbines shut down, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
That drop would sharply reduce low-cost electricity for providers like the Lincoln County Power District and the Overton Power District, which rely heavily on Hoover Dam power.
Officials say utilities are already locking in higher-cost market electricity and expanding solar, as federal and state leaders, including Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Congresswoman Susie Lee, push new investments to stabilize dam operations.
Hydropower from the Hoover Dam could see steep reductions if drought conditions persist.
Nevada voters will see just two statewide ballot questions on the 2026 General Election ballot. Question 6 asks voters whether to add abortion protections to the Nevada Constitution, while Question 7 would require voter identification for in-person voting and new ID verification requirements for mail ballots. Both measures passed their first required vote in 2024 and must be approved again this November to become constitutional amendments. Several other proposed ballot initiatives failed to gather enough signatures to qualify.