3-Day Heat Wave Scorches the Bay Area This Week
Temperatures could reach triple digits this week as a three-day heat wave hits the Bay Area and the Central Coast.
Dial Hoang, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said that this is shaping up to be “one of the most impactful heating events of this summer,” with the East Bay, the South Bay, parts of San Mateo County and the U.S. Highway 101 corridor in Marin feeling the warmest temperatures.
“It’s really important to drink plenty of water; do not leave people or pets in unattended vehicles; take frequent breaks in the air-conditioned buildings or in [the] shade; and if possible, try to shift out for activities to cooler times of the day,” Hoang said.
After Tuesday’s warm-up, temperatures will peak tomorrow, leading the weather service to issue a heat advisory Tuesday afternoon through 10 p.m. Thursday.
Warm nights will make temperatures feel more extreme throughout the region, according to the weather service’s daily forecast discussion.
“Not only will we see higher temperatures, we’ll see less relief overnight with the higher dewpoints and higher relative humidity levels during peak heating Wednesday and Thursday, further complicating heat impacts,” meteorologist Rick Canepa wrote.
Coastal temperatures will range from the mid-70s to low-90s with temperatures inland expected to reach 105, the weather service said.
Though San Francisco will be relatively cooler, topping out in the mid-80s, the city has been coordinating closely with the weather service to help residents manage heat, said Jackie Thornhill, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.
Earlier this summer, San Francisco held a heat-preparedness hearing after a record-breaking 90-degree Fahrenheit day in March and the hottest July temperature recorded in over a decade.
Sunday also marked the anniversary of a deadly 2017 Labor Day heat wave in San Francisco, during which sweltering 106-degree heat killed six and sent hundreds to the hospital.
“We’ve come a long way since then in terms of coordinating across all of our departments to make sure that we’re reaching residents who are most vulnerable to the heat, that they have everything they need to be OK during this event, and that we are scaling up those city resources as necessary,” Thornhill said.
Thornhill said that people seeking relief can head to libraries, public pools and other buildings mapped out at sf.gov/heat.
“Windows are our most powerful natural air conditioners,” Thornhill said, adding that residents with pets and young children should make sure to have window guards in place for safety.
As for beach safety, Capt. Jonathan Baxter with the San Francisco Fire Department said San Franciscans “looking to beat the heat in our waterways” should visit lifeguard-protected beaches outside of the city, like Stinson Beach in Marin County.