dailyloe.com – A significant heat wave is set to impact much of California this weekend into early next week, marking the first real heat event of 2023.
Some cities may experience temperatures hitting 100 to 105 degrees earlier than ever recorded. A high-pressure system from the northeast Pacific will begin affecting California on Thursday.
This system will intensify on Sunday as it settles over the Desert Southwest. The National Weather Service Los Angeles stated that the hot air beneath this high-pressure system is expected to be among the most extreme on record for mid-May.
Daily high temperature records could be challenged across various cities from Sacramento to Las Vegas and Oklahoma City between Sunday and Tuesday. The Central Valley, Antelope Valley, and the Mojave and Sonoran deserts are predicted to experience the most severe heat.
In the Sacramento Valley, mid-90s to low 100s are expected from Sunday through Tuesday, with temperatures potentially reaching 105 degrees in the San Joaquin Valley. A reading of 105 degrees in Fresno would occur nearly a week earlier than the previous record.
This temperature is also over a month ahead of typical seasonal highs. In Tahoe, temperatures in the 70s to mid-80s will significantly melt the remaining snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.
Nighttime lows will remain well above freezing during this heat wave. Unlike the record-breaking temperatures in March, this heat event will not significantly affect coastal areas.
San Francisco is unlikely to exceed 80 degrees, while Santa Barbara, Long Beach, and San Diego will experience temperatures in the 70s to low 80s. Downtown Los Angeles may approach 90 degrees on Mother’s Day and Monday.
Temperature differences between the coast and valleys are typically most pronounced from May to August due to the marine layer. A short drive from the beach can lead to vastly different weather conditions.
While fog may linger along the coast, areas like Wine Country, Silicon Valley, and the interior East Bay are forecasted to reach the 90s as early as Sunday. By Monday and Tuesday, temperatures in Santa Rosa, Napa, Walnut Creek, Dublin, San Jose, and Redwood City could soar as much as 20 degrees above normal.
Such temperatures are common in midsummer but are notably early for this time of year.
