Multiple daily high temperature records set in Coachella Valley

Sweltering heat is expected for the Coachella Valley with an excessive heat warning in place from the National Weather Service starting Friday at 11 a.m. until Saturday at 9 p.m.

Read: Indio records its highest temperature for March 13th in 101 years

High temperatures Friday featured record breakers in the desert, including a 122-degree mark in Palm Springs, shattering the previous July 7 record of 117 degrees, set back in 1976. Forecasters thought there was a chance of possibly tying or breaking the all-time record of 123 degrees, but mercifully for the city’s residents, Friday’s high temperature held at 122.

In Thermal, temperatures reached 121 degrees, breaking a 1985 record of 118 degrees, while Indio reached 119 degrees, breaking the previous 1985 record of 117 degrees.

On Saturday, highs will range from 105 to 112 degrees in Riverside and the surrounding valleys, 94 to 101 degrees in the mountains, 112 to 117 degrees in the San Gorgonio Pass zone and 113 to 118 degrees in the Coachella Valley.

People were trying to beat the heat beforehand in Cathedral City at the Fountain of Life. One La Quinta woman brought her dog there when the air conditioning went out in her home.

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“My air conditioning went out.. boop out…on a day like this isnt it wonderful?” Leslie Merris said. “[I] parked the car, the dog and i jumped in and it’s really fun. I wish we had one of these in La Quinta.”

The National Weather Service released some tips for weather the sweltering heat.

Do outdoor activities either early in the morning or later in the evening; Don’t leave pets or children unattended in vehicles; Stay hydrated and wear light-weight and loose fitting clothes; Check your air conditioning at home; A list of cooling centers in the Coachella Valley can be found here.