California continues to swelter under unseasonably high temperatures, with “Heat Advisories” and “Excessive Heat Warnings” blanketing much of the state through Friday this week.
The NWS has issued these warnings and advisories across the regions covered by its San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles forecast offices, as well as Death Valley National Park, with temperatures of up to 114 degrees being forecast in some areas.
This exceptionally warm October weather comes after California saw its hottest month of all time in July, and many places around the U.S. had record-breaking high summer temperatures.
“Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures from 106 to 114 expected,” the National Weather Service San Diego warns for Palm Desert Country, La Quinta, Borrego Springs, Indio, Coachella, Cathedral City, Palm Springs, and Palm Desert.
ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS / National Weather Service
Temperatures across Burbank, Valencia, Chatsworth, Universal City, Northridge, Van Nuys, Glendale, Newhall, La Canada, Flintridge, Santa Clarita, Woodland Hills, Lake Castaic, and Sunland might reach up to 112, the National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard office warned.
An Excessive Heat Warning has been extended for inland portions of the Bay Area, Central Coast through 11 PM Friday. The Heat Advisory along the coastline has also been extended through 11PM Friday, and now covers the city of San Francisco and northern Salinas Valley. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/5OuFoTLQt7
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) October 3, 2024
“An Excessive Heat Warning means that a period of very hot temperatures, even by local standards, will occur. Actions should be taken to lessen the impact of the extreme heat,” the NWS explains.
California usually sees temperatures much lower than 100 degrees in October, ranging between the mid-70s to the low-80s. On Tuesday, San Francisco hit 94 degrees F, which was the hottest day the city had seen in two years.
94 degrees in San Francisco yesterday with similar expected today. For October, we’ve only reached this benchmark 15 times over the last 150 years. #CAwx
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) October 2, 2024
“It’s definitely abnormal in terms of how high the temperatures are getting. It’s not out of the norm to see these types of warm events like this, but all things considered, we are still expecting temperatures 20 to 30 degrees above average in some places,” NWS meteorologist Dalton Behringer previously told Newsweek.
Locals are advised to stay hydrated, and to not leave children or pets in vehicles.
“There is a high risk for dangerous heat illness for anyone, especially for the very young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and those active outdoors,” the NWS said. “Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.”
Other places around the U.S. Southwest have seen record-breaking temperatures in recent days, with Phoenix, Arizona, seeing its first-ever October day over 110 degrees when 113 was recorded on Tuesday this week.
The high temperatures today at both Phoenix and Yuma reached 113°F. This not only breaks the record high temperature for the date at both sites, but it also is the highest temperature ever registered on any day in the month of October. #azwx pic.twitter.com/G0YLdVSyHy
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) October 2, 2024
“The high temperatures today at both Phoenix and Yuma reached 113°F. This not only breaks the record high temperature for the date at both sites, but it also is the highest temperature ever registered on any day in the month of October,” NWS Phoenix said in a post on X.
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