Berkeley Not Too Hot Sat., But a Bit East or North – Ouch!

The National Weather Service says Berkeley and other coastal and urban areas in the Bay Area are expected to remain "much cooler" on Saturday than outlying areas of the East Bay and North Bay, where the "extreme heat" recorded Friday is expected to be even hotter.

"These outlying spots will be very hot again tomorrow," said a special statement from agency spokesman Logan Johnson. 

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a "Spare the Air Alert" for Saturday, the second day in row, meaning that unhealthy levels of ozone are expected in the air. Residents are encouraged to cut down on driving and to avoid outdoor exercise except in the early morning hours. Wood burning is banned.

The forecast calls for Berkeley to hit a high of 77 Saturday, as opposed to Livermore where the mercury is predicted to hit 100.

The weather service urged people in high-temperature areas to avoid strenuous exercise and outdoor work in the heat of the afternoon, and said special precautions should be taken with pets, who can be especially sensitive to heat and require extra water.

As of 3 p.m. Friday, the day's high temperature for Napa was 105, while in San Francisco it was 71, the weather service said. The Oakland airport registered the day's high for its thermometer of 91 at 2:47 p.m., according to the agency's data.