County Bracing For Extreme Heat
A heat wave due to a high pressure system over the interior Southwest is expected to intensify today in parts of Riverside County, with more heat on the way Friday, Saturday and possibly Sunday.
High temperatures today will range from the high 80s in the San Jacinto Mountains near Idyllwild to around 100 in Riverside, Hemet and Temecula, and up to 110 and higher from Palm Springs east in the Coachella Valley, according to the National Weather Service.
“The peak heat is coming in the next few days,” Weather Service Meteorologist Greg Martin San Diego said. “This is probably going to last through Saturday and Sunday.”
A return of monsoonal moisture will bring an increase in humidities, especially for lower desert areas, according to the Weather Service. A slight chance of thunderstorms is forecast for the Coachella Valley on Thursday and Friday.
The Weather Service advised inland and desert residents to avoid strenuous outdoor activity during the next few days. Drinking plenty of non- alcoholic and caffeine-free fluids and wearing light-weight, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brim hat were also recommended.
“Take advantage of air conditioning and shade if possible,” the Weather Service advised. “Never leave children or pets in enclosed vehicles . . . even briefly.”
The hot weather could be deadly for unprepared hikers and campers, the Weather Service warned.
An excessive heat watch updated today warned of daytime highs around 115 degrees in eastern Riverside County beginning tomorrow.
The excessive heat watch is for Thursday morning through Friday evening, when daytime highs in Blythe are expected from 115 to 117 during afternoons and early evenings, according to the Weather Service.
Warm overnight lows in the 80s are also possible, according to the Weather Service.
“Excessively hot temperatures can be stressful to animals and humans . . . making it hard for the body to acclimate and remain hydrated,” the Weather Service said in a statement.
“Extremely warm overnight low temperatures do not allow the body to cool down properly overnight . . . and can make extreme heat even more dangerous,” the excessive heat watch statement said.
Further north in Death Valley, the lowest spot in North America, the high today at Furnace Creek will peak around 119, according to the Weather Service.
