Paso Robles busts heat record by 5 degrees — and another scorcher is expected this week
San Luis Obispo County busted another temperature record on Thursday as a heat wave continued to cook California.
Paso Robles Municipal Airport reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, exceeding the 2017 record of 104 degrees, PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey said.
Breaks of sunshine in the cloud cover causes the spike in temperature, Lindsey said.
Another scorcher is expected this week.
Paso Robles is forecast to reach 106 degrees on Friday, which would exceed the record of 105 degrees set in 1957, Lindsey said.
The North County city should cool down after that, he said, with an expected high temperature of about 100 degrees Saturday and highs into the 80s next week.
Paso Robles, Atascadero, and interior valleys of San Luis Obispo County will remain under an excessive heat watch until 9 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
On Thursday, the same day Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to the heat, the California Independent System Operator extended its statewide flex alert.
The state ISO asked consumers via Twitter to reduce their energy use from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday “to help relieve stress on the grid.”
Heat drops in San Luis Obispo
On Wednesday, San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport hit 109 degrees, smashing a 1981 heat record of 101 degrees.
The San Luis Obispo airport peaked at 92 degrees on Thursday, Lindsey said.
On Friday, the high should be about 82 degrees, the meteorologist said.
“It’s going to be a whiplash weather pattern,” Lindsey said.
Luckily for San Luis Obispo County, the heat is not here to stay.
Next week’s weather forecast contains cooler temperatures, cloud cover, and potential drizzle, he said.
