Calif. Heatwave Topples, Ties Records, Sparks Advisories

SAN JOSE, CA — Baby, it's hot outside. With the mercury rising all over California, records are dropping in the San Francisco Bay Area — combined with three Spare the Air alerts issued.

In San Francisco, today's record at SFO is 94 degrees — a temperature the National Weather Service is expected to be broken with a 96-degree high forecasted. Sunday beat the record there by 1 degree at 92, while downtown tied it at 91 degrees.

There's not much more relief heading south. At Mineta International San Jose Airport, the forecast is expected to reach 101.

Heat advisories were sent across the Silicon Valley as "heat stroke and dehydration are life threatening," the Los Altos Police Department warned.

Inland temperatures encircling the Bay Area have experienced scorching temperatures in the 90s over the last few days.

Even the Lake Tahoe Basin, which just left the winter season, is forecast to hit a high of 80 degrees. Other highs include:

• Los Angeles at 86 degrees
• Santa Ana at 88 degrees
• San Diego at a more pleasant 78 degrees
• Davis at 103 degrees

"This is big time life-threatening heat. The whole state is hot. Southern California is also experiencing the same heat wave," Weather Service meteorologist Matt Mehle told Patch from his 80-degree Monterey station.

A cooling of at least 10 to 15 degrees is expected by midweek.

Valencia, where a plume of smoke from a nearby wildfire shocked Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park patrons, is expected to hit 102 degrees by the sun's usual peak at about 3 p.m.

With high temperatures toppling, tying and teasing records come wildfires and other heat-related incidents, so Bay Area agencies are on alert Monday. And with fire comes smoke to varying degrees. Bay Area residents and visitors witnessed conditions that rivaled the air of Beijing last summer during the North State fires. Residents across the Bay Area have reported smelling smoke from several new brush fires.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued its third Spare the Air Alert for smog in 2019 on Monday. The light winds combined with hot temperatures and motor vehicle exhaust from millions of vehicles on Bay Area roads will continue to cause unhealthy ozone accumulation in the region. No wood burning is allowed.

“If we reduce traffic by driving with others, we can reduce the number one cause of summertime air pollution,”said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the district. “Air quality improves when we rethink our commute and share the ride by carpooling, taking transit, or telecommuting instead of driving alone.”

The district manages and monitors the air quality in the nine-county region. The seriousness of the heatwave has not gone unnoticed by Santa Clara County as well as other Bay Area counties. Alameda County has issued a list of cooling centers open to all.

"People need to hydrate and keep out of the sun. It's a simple message, but it needs to be reminded because it still happens," Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services spokeswoman Patty Eaton told Patch while referring to heat-related incidents.

The homeless and those who over exert themselves are most at risk. The county is expanding the hours of its supportive housing shelters to accommodate visitors during the day. The county is advising those seeking refuge from the heat to visit libraries and community centers. More information can be found here.

The other message that apparently needs to be repeated is that motorists must keep their children and pets out of hot cars. Almost a week ago, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department deputy saved a baby left in a hot car.

A call came in at midday that a baby was locked in a vehicle in the area of Clove Drive in San Jose.
Deputies immediately responded and spoke with a frantic mother who accidentally locked her keys in the car with her 4-month old son still inside.

The hot weather combined with the rising temperatures created a dangerous situation. Deputy Jennifer Galan — a mother herself — used an impact tool to break the window to rescue the baby. Medical personnel were on scene as a precaution, "and baby Oscar was in good health," the sheriff's department reported.

On Friday, the deputy went to check up on baby Oscar and his family in Gilroy. She brought along some goodie bags with hats, stickers and coloring books for Oscar’s siblings to enjoy.

She is being hailed a hero.