Riverside County to see temperatures 20+ degrees above average today
Daytime temperatures today in parts of Riverside County could be more than 20 degrees above average for this time of year as an early-spring heat wave is expected to ratchet temperatures up into the mid 90s, forecasters said.
Temperatures in Riverside could reach 95 degrees today, which would be 21 degrees above the average temperature for the date, the National Weather Service said. Temperatures are forecast to reach 93 in Temecula, which would be 19 degrees above average.
In the Coachella Valley, temperatures today are expected to reach the mid to high 90s, which would be about 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of the year, the NWS said.
A high-pressure system is causing the heat and is expected to be accompanied by gusty winds and clear, sunny skies, forecasters said.
Although temperatures along the coast are expected to drop significantly on Tuesday as cool air moves in from over the ocean, that cooling is not expected to reach Riverside County until later in the week, the NWS said.
Fair weather with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 80s are expected for Friday, the first day of the 2018 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio. High temperatures in the Coachella Valley for the festival will be 83 on Friday, 88 on Saturday and 89 to 94 on Sunday.
