Weather
Coachella Valley Sees Scorching Temperatures This Weekend
Residents were being warned to take precautions against the heat as a ridge of high pressure is expected to send temperatures soaring.
INDIO, CA — Coachella Valley residents were being warned to take precautions against the heat as a ridge of high pressure is expected to send temperatures soaring way past the century mark across the desert areas through early this week, forecasters said.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning through 8 p.m. Monday for the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass.
Sunday's highs were expected to range from 113 to 118 degrees in the Coachella Valley, 110 to 115 in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, 94 to 104 in the mountains and 94 to 102 in the valleys and downtown Riverside.
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A heat advisory will also be in place through 8 p.m. Monday for the valleys and mountains.
"Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. Warm overnight temperatures will compound heat stress for those without adequate cooling," the NWS said.
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People were advised to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air- conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors.
The county last month opened cooling centers in multiple locations, where residents without air-conditioning are able to take a break during daylight hours. A complete list is available at www.capriverside.org/cool- centers.
A statewide Flex Alert was issued Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. in hopes of reducing strain on the electrical system, but the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state's power grid, declined to extend the alert to Sunday.
"CA, you did it! Your efforts helped keep the grid stable," the ISO tweeted Saturday night.
Meanwhile, firefighters will be on high alert as the high heat, low daytime humidity and gusty winds will create elevated fire weather conditions in the afternoons and evenings near and below the desert passes, forecasters said.
Temperatures will begin to return to normal ranges on Tuesday, the NWS said.
Riverside County residents can take solace in the fact that this weekend's high temps are still well short of the eye-popping numbers recorded in Death Valley. The Mojave Desert location -- known for the Earth's hottest recorded temperature of 134 degrees in 1913 -- reached a high of 130 degrees on both Friday and Saturday, and was expected to hit 130 again on Sunday.
—City News Service
