SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Extreme heat will bake much of California throughout the holiday weekend, with little relief in store even at night.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday that temperatures could surge beyond 110 degrees in parts of the Golden State through the rest of the week. Excessive heat warnings and watches which began Tuesday morning are in effect for much of California through the end of the week.
In a discussion from the Sacramento office Tuesday, the weather service said the Sacramento Valley and foothills could see sustained periods with temperatures up to 118 degrees, particularly later in the week. Even in the mountains, high temperatures between 95 and 110 degrees are expected.
“With little to no delta breeze influence this week, overnight lows in the valley/foothills will be in the upper 60s to mid-80s and upper 50s to upper 70s in the mountains, resulting in very little overnight relief,” the meteorologists said. “The hottest days of the week will be on Friday and Saturday.”
The meteorologists said there’s a 70 to 100% chance of high temperatures of 110 degrees or higher through the northern and central Sacramento Valley, and a 50 to 75% chance of those temperatures in the southern Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valleys.
A heat advisory and an excessive heat warning will also be in effect for most of the San Francisco Bay Area and coastal regions through the week, with high temperatures in East Bay cities reaching up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit each day for several days.
An increased risk of fires led to a red-flag warning Monday night that is set to continue through Wednesday evening.
Meterologists say that poor overnight cooling will make the heat wave more dangerous and potentially deadly for those without adequate cooling or shelter. Many parts of the state have scrambled to arrange cooling centers, shelters for people in need of immediate relief and recovery, with different funding sources.
“These levels of heat risk are very dangerous to anyone without proper hydration or adequate cooling,” the meteorologists said. “Strongly reconsider any outdoor activities during this prolonged heat event. Do not leave children or pets in unattended vehicles. Car interiors will quickly reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.”
Governor Gavin Newsom directed the Office of Emergency Services to activate its State Operations Center and move into Phase II of its Extreme Temperature Response Plan. That means the state coordinates with a network of community organizations to ensure the most vulnerable Californians can access resources like cooling centers, and enforce heat protection for outdoor workers.
The governor said in a statement Tuesday that extreme heat kills more Americans every year than all other extreme weather, including wildfires and flooding.
“This heat wave is serious,” Newsom said. “We’re used to hot temperatures in California but this will be several days with little relief overnight. As we come together this week to celebrate the Fourth of July, look out for each other and take steps to stay safe. Don’t let this heat catch you by surprise, California.”
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara released a report this week finding that extreme heat waves have cost Californians at least $7.7 billion over the last decade and killed nearly 460 people. Such heat waves most directly affect older people and people of color, according to the report.
The report dropped after Newsom signed a state budget which eliminated millions of dollars for cooling and resilience centers and a program to track hospital visits for heat-related illnesses. Black, Hispanic and Native American communities disproportionately suffer the most negative health outcomes from extreme heat, the report found. Older people were most likely to die prematurely, while younger people were more likely to suffer from emergency heat-related illnesses.
Several state agencies say they will soon operate an extreme heat wave ranking and warning system called CalHeatScore — scheduled to go live online by January 2025. Cal Fire already maintains a map of active fire incidents online for Californians to follow.