<ARTICLE>                                          UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from
Southwest Gas Corporation's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1999
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                       1,000

                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                       JUN-30-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                       PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                          1,512,754
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                           84,527
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                               123,097
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                   0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                        49,360
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     1,769,738
<COMMON>                                              32,312
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            431,015
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                   31,606
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                       494,933
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                 793,477
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                     8,370
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                          6,742
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                       466,216 <F1>
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                      1,769,738
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                            508,317
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                  17,412
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           434,062
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           434,062
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                               74,255
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                    (2,503)<F2>
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                        71,752
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             (29,670)
<NET-INCOME>                                          24,670
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                         24,670
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                              12,529
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                  0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                               167,377
<EPS-BASIC>                                           0.81
<EPS-DILUTED>                                           0.80
<FN>
<F1>  Includes:  trust originated preferred securities of $60,000, current liabilities, net of current long-term
debt maturities and short-term debt, of $175,061 and deferred income taxes and other credits of $231,155
<F2>  Includes distributions related to trust originated preferred securities of $2,738
</FN>