After days of record-breaking temperatures, weather officials are warning that California’s unusual October heat wave is expected to see a second peak this weekend, with millions of people facing another dangerous heat wave through Monday.
Temperatures are expected to remain 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year, with the Bay Area and interior Southern California classified as having major to extreme heat risks. The National Weather Service defines extreme heat risk as “rare and/or long-lasting extreme heat with little or no relief overnight, likely to affect “any person without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration.”
In much of the Bay Area, authorities warned of temperatures of up to 105 degrees Friday and Saturday, with even coastal areas reaching up to 95 degrees. The weather service warned that the hot conditions could have “life-threatening impacts or major impacts on commerce and travel.”
The weather could be a concern for the San Francisco 49ers game Sunday at 1 p.m., where fans and players at Levi’s Stadium will be exposed to the most intense heat for hours.
High temperatures in Santa Clara are expected to reach the mid-90s on Sunday, according to Roger Gass, National Weather Service meteorologist for the Bay Area. An analysis by SFGate found that Sunday’s game will likely be the hottest ever seen at the stadium, which opened in 2014. For years, the stadium has sparked concerns about uncomfortable, even dangerous, conditions with the largest share of stadium seats. positioned directly in the sun.
“We are waiting [highs] between 93 and 96 degrees on Sunday,” Gass said. “It’s one of the hottest temperatures” for this time of year in Santa Clara.
Earlier this week, San Jose Mineta International Airport – the closest weather site to Levi’s Stadium – reached 100 degrees for three consecutive days for the first time, a new streak for the region among a series of new record highs. warm temperatures established across the state. this week.
Not far away in Mountain View, the Stanford football team opens Saturday against Virginia Tech, whose highs are expected to reach the mid-90s.
“We are very concerned about the plight of people who do not have adequate access to cooling,” Gass said. “Take frequent breaks in the shade if possible, under no circumstances overexert yourself.”
Heat deaths have become a growing crisis in California and the United States as climate change has made heat events more frequent, more persistent and more dangerous. Extreme heat has killed more Americans on average over the past three decades than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined, according to the National Weather Service.
Earlier this week, five students participating in a cross country competition at a Riverside County school required medical attention after experiencing “general weakness,” three of whom were taken to the hospital for further evaluation. thorough, according to the Riverside County Fire Department, which responded to the scene. .
In June, a San Diego County woman died while hiking on an unusually hot day, a death that local officials told NBC 7 San Diego appeared to be heat-related.
This weekend, coastal areas of Southern California are mostly excluded from major heat problems, but in the mountains, valleys and foothills of Los Angeles and San Diego counties, weather officials warned that Temperatures up to 108 are possible Saturday through Monday, creating “high risk.” for dangerous heat-related illnesses for everyone, especially the very young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and those who are active outdoors.
The state’s hottest temperatures are forecast for the Coachella Valley and Palm Desert region, where temperatures could reach as high as 112 this weekend.
Officials across the state have opened cooling centers for anyone without air conditioning and are working to increase awareness of the signs of heat-related illness.
“It is important that Californians continue to take steps to protect themselves, including checking on their friends and neighbors, who may be vulnerable to the heat when they are alone,” said Amy Palmer, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Services. emergency from the governor of California, in a press release. .
