Sweltering weather will descend on much of California over the next few days, possibly ushering in temperatures deeper into the triple digits earlier than ever for some areas.
Temperatures could climb over 100 degrees in the Central Valley for the first time this year. By Monday, Fresno could see temperatures as high as 102 degrees — which would be the earliest in the year the thermometer has hit that mark since records have been kept, according to Brian Ochs, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Hanford.
Fresno hasn’t seen 102-degree heat this early since 2013, when it hit that mark on May 12.
Ochs warned of the heat: “People won’t be as used to it” at this time of year and so may be more affected by the high temperatures.
Forecasters warned of elevated fire danger across Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties; the Kern County desert and the slopes of the Mojave Desert.
By Monday, Barstow could hit 102; Borrego Springs, 107; Palm Springs, 108; and Death Valley, 111. Afternoon temperatures could reach as high as 112 degrees in Imperial County.
Possible maximum temperatures for Monday.
(National Weather Service)
Meteorologists issued an “extreme heat watch” starting Mother’s Day morning through Tuesday evening for Palm Springs and the rest of the Coachella Valley, the deserts of San Diego County and the San Gorgonio Pass.
An extreme heat watch was also issued for swaths of Imperial County starting Sunday morning through Monday night.
Along the California coast, this month is typically associated with “May gray,” persistent gray skies that keep temperatures relatively chilly. But not this year.
In Los Angeles County, forecasters expect temperatures to climb into the 80s for the Mother’s Day weekend in downtown L.A., Pasadena and Simi Valley. On Sunday, the mercury in Southern California could hit 80 in Irvine, 83 in downtown L.A., 85 in Anaheim, 86 in Pasadena, 91 in Santa Clarita and Ontario, 92 in Riverside, 93 in Paso Robles, 94 in Lancaster, 96 in San Bernardino, and 106 in Palm Springs.
And it could get hotter by Monday, with Anaheim hitting 81 degrees; downtown L.A. and Anaheim, 86; Pasadena, 91; Ontario, 94; Santa Clarita and Riverside, 95; Lancaster, 97; San Bernardino, 99; and Palm Springs, 108.
The coolest areas of the region will be just along the coast, with San Clemente expected to reach a high of 73 on Monday; and San Diego and Ventura, 76.
It’ll be so hot for this time of year that forecasters across the state are advising residents to take action to avoid heat illness.
“Limit strenuous outdoor activities to just the early morning hours,” the weather service in Oxnard said. “Stay in well-shaded areas or air conditioned spaces.”
In the San Joaquin Valley, meteorologists are urging people to walk their dogs before dawn or after dusk, and to avoid walking them on asphalt. Put your hand on the pavement for seven seconds, they say — “if it burns you, it burns them.” Horses and livestock need their troughs filled daily, forecasters said, as consumption can double in the heat.
The San Francisco Bay Area is being warned of a moderate risk of heat illness for Mother’s Day weekend and beyond, especially for inland areas. Those at risk include adults 65 and older, infants, athletes, outdoor workers, those with chronic diseases and people without access to effective cooling, the weather service said.
It’s expected to be a warm Sunday for much of the Bay Area, with San Francisco hitting 72; Oakland, 75; and San Jose, 84. On Monday, the mercury could hit 80 in Santa Cruz; 81 in San Francisco; 84 in Oakland; 90 in Napa; 93 in San Jose; 95 in Livermore and Gilroy; and 99 in King City.
In the Sierra Nevada, South Lake Tahoe could hit 78 on Mother’s Day and 80 on Monday. Mammoth could see a high of 79 on Sunday and 83 on Monday. There could be “near-record heat Monday and Tuesday,” the weather service office in Reno said.
The heat also is expected to extend along the inland areas of the North Coast counties. In Mendocino County, Ukiah could hit 96 degrees by Tuesday.
All this heat is coming courtesy of “a strong high pressure system over us,” Ochs said, similar to the system that brought California the epic heat wave in March.
It was the hottest March on record for California, as well as nine other states — Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming — according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. It was also the hottest March for the contiguous United States in 132 years of recordkeeping.
And expect the heat to continue through mid-May. The Climate Prediction Center forecasts that above-average temperatures will continue for at least a week beyond Mother’s Day.
