SLO sets a heat record before noon, but cooler weather is on the way
Warm Santa Lucia winds made for a hot morning in San Luis Obispo on Wednesday, setting a record high of 97 degrees Fahrenheit at 11:20 a.m.
The reading, taken at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, exceeded the previous high of 96 degrees set in 1979, according to PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey.
“Temperatures kept going up, and by 11:20 a.m. this morning, the temperature got up to 97 degrees, topping the record of 96, and hovered there till about 12:05 p.m.,” Lindsey said.
The record heat, however, was short-lived.
“That 97’s probably the high temperature for the day,” he said.
Only an hour later, the winds shifted onshore, drawing cooler air from the ocean and sending it down the Los Osos Valley. By 12:25 p.m., the temperature had dropped to 93 degrees in SLO.
Wednesday’s warmup started early.
At the San Luis Obispo airport, the temperature was already 72 degrees at 4:45 a.m.
In comparison, at around the same time at the Paso Robles Muncipal Airport, the temperature was only 48 degrees.
At midday in Paso Robles, the temperature was 93 degrees. The forecast called for a high of 100 in the North County.
Santa Maria also set a record Wednesday, reaching 91 degrees at 11:30 a.m. and toppling the record of 88 that was also set in 1979.
Looking ahead, Lindsey said weather will continue to cool in San Luis Obispo, with a high of 83 degrees forecast on Thursday.
He said Paso Robles would see another day of near triple-digit heat on Thursday before a cooling trend drops highs 20 degrees over the weekend.
Highs in the low 70s are expected on Friday and Saturday in San Luis Obispo.
Then, starting Saturday, Lindsey said San Luis Obispo County will see “relentlessly strong” northwesterly winds along the coastlines, ranging from 32 to 46 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.
Aside from the blustery conditions, the winds will also cool the seawater temperatures to around 48 to 50 degrees, compared to 55 to 56 degrees normally for this time of year, Lindsey said.
This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 12:59 PM.
