Scorching heat is expected to continue Friday in San Diego County's inland areas, but relief is expected this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
An excessive heat warning expired last night in the San Diego County valleys, mountains and deserts, but temperatures still remain high.
The NWS urged residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and check on relatives and neighbors. Also, children, seniors and pets should be never be left unattended in a vehicle, with car interiors able to "reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes," according to the NWS.
High temperatures Thursday are forecast to reach 84 degrees near the coast, 91 inland, 93 in the western valleys, 99 near the foothills, 99 in the mountains and 112 in the deserts.
Thunderstorms are possible this afternoon in the mountains and deserts, forecasters said. This chance of afternoon thunderstorms will continue throughout the weekend.
Highs in the deserts are expected to drop to 112 Thursday, then 111 on Saturday, according to the NWS.
High temperatures in the western valleys and the foothills are forecast to drop to the high-80s to low-90s over the weekend.
Campo broke a record, for a second day in a row, with 106 degrees, surpassing the 105-degrees reached on Aug. 20, 1982, according to the NWS.
Forecasters attribute the expected cooler weekend temperatures to leftover moisture from tropical storm Genevieve, which will likely create a cloud layer over much of the San Diego area. The cloud deck will likely minimize the heat, but will also bring thick humidity, according to the NWS.
To help the public beat the heat, the county is offering nine cooling centers in Alpine, Borrego Springs, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Potrero, Ramona, Santa Ysabel, Spring Valley and Valley Center. Due to the coronavirus, mandatory mask- wearing and social-distancing protocols are enforced in the facilities.
A full list of the cooling center locations can be found at:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ais/cool_zones.html.
The city of San Diego also announced Tuesday that several recreation centers, libraries and other public buildings were serving as cooling centers amid the heat.
The following facilities will be open from noon until 5 p.m. daily until Sunday:
— MLK Recreation Center, 6401 Skyline Drive;
— Mountain View Community Center, 641 S. Boundary Drive;
— Mid-City Gymnasium, 4302 Landis St.;
— Cesar Chavez Community Center, 455 Sycamore Road; and
— Central Library, 330 Park Blvd.
