Temperatures are expected to be dangerously high this weekend in the inland valleys and mountains as San Diego County experiences its first heat wave of the year.
How To Stay Safe During A Heat Wave
Avoid strenuous outdoor activity
Drink plenty of water
Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing
Wear a hat to shield yourself from the sun
Use sunscreen to reduce possible sunburn
Stay in air conditioning and shade if possible
Never leave children or pets in enclosed vehicles, even briefly
Source: National Weather Service
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning from Friday through Sunday, though the high ridge pattern is expected to last through much of next week.
Inland areas of the county are expected to peak near 105 degrees; temperatures in the lower desert are expected to soar up to 120.
Forecasters said the coastal regions will avoid the hot temperatures and remain in the upper 70s and low 80s because of a thick marine layer hovering along the shore.
"Exceedingly high temperatures can cause heat-related illness or death," warned NWS. "Those working or playing outdoors and those without air conditioning are most vulnerable."
With no rain forecast before Monday, which marks the end of the rainfall season, downtown San Diego will have received just more than 6 inches of rain since July 1, 2012 — nearly 4 inches below normal.
Vegetation moisture levels in some inland areas are the driest they’ve been in nearly 100 years, according to NWS, raising the risk of wildfires.
NWS Climate forecaster Alex Tardy recently told KPBS that San Diego is on track for more intense heat waves this summer.
"So what we’re expecting is the combination of the drought and the overall weather pattern with no signal over the Pacific Ocean — no El Niño or La Niña — that the impacts from the drought is going to bring a really large area of high pressure that’s basically going to dominate our weather a little bit more than it normally would and that ends up bringing us more heat waves, especially during the peak of summer," Tardy said.
