Heat Wave Continues In Murrieta, Advisory Issued

MURRIETA, CA — Temperatures will soar into the 100s Wednesday in the Inland Empire and extreme heat will blanket desert areas until cooler weather arrives heading into this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. In Murrieta, residents can expect to see temperatures in the triple digits.

Forecasters say it is expected to get up to 101 degrees on Wednesday and 100 degrees on Thursday in Murrieta.

"It'll be hot in the inland valleys and deserts today and Thursday with highs around 115 in the lower deserts, and from 100 to 105 in the upper deserts and the Inland Empire," the NWS said in its daily forecast discussion. "This will be followed by a cooling trend with high temperatures returning to their seasonal norms over the weekend."

Another round of hot weather is expected to return next week.

The NWS issued an excessive heat warning for the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, which will be in effect from 11 a.m. Wednesday to 9 p.m. Thursday. A heat advisory will be in effect during that same time period in the Riverside metropolitan area and Temecula Valley.

Riverside could see highs of 102 degrees Wednesday and Thursday, while temperatures in Palm Springs will top out at 113 Wednesday and 112 Thursday, forecasters said.

High temperatures elsewhere Wednesday are expected to reach 102 in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, 97 in Temecula, 104 in Hemet, 103 in Lake Elsinore and 86 in Idyllwild.

Courtesy of the NWS, here's Murrieta's detailed forecast for the coming days:

Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 101. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night
Clear, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.

Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 100. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Night
Clear, with a low around 64. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.

Friday
Sunny, with a high near 95. Light and variable wind becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night
Clear, with a low around 61.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 90.

Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 91.

Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

The NWS advised that those who work outdoors should avoid the midday sun, wear light, loose-fitting clothing and drink plenty of water.

Nighttime lows will remain in the low 80s until Friday in the Coachella Valley, meaning the minimal cooling at night could pose a health risk to those who don't have access to air conditioning because the body needs time to cool down from the day's heat, according to the NWS.

The combination of hot days and warm nights is expected to increase the threat of heat illness, and the NWS urged residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors.

Cooling centers are open daily across the county, providing residents who do not live in climate-controlled environments a free, cool space to relax until the evening hours.

A complete list of cooling centers is available via the county.

— City News Service contributed to this report.