SLO County clobbered by heat wave. How long will it last and how hot will it get?
San Luis Obispo County residents are in the midst of a sweltering heat wave that’s brought triple-digit temperatures to most areas above the Cuesta Grade.
How long will it last and how hot will it get?
On Friday, the thermometer in Paso Robles topped out at 106 degrees Fahrenheit, about four degrees below the 110-degree record set in 2002, PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey said.
Lindsey predicted that temperatures in the North County city will hit 110 degrees on Saturday and 109 degrees on Sunday.
His forecast suggests Monday will probably be the last day of triple-digit heat in the North County before the mercury dips down to 97 degrees on Tuesday.
“The duration of this heat wave is a little longer,” Lindsey said.
Although temperatures will be hot, they likely won’t eclipse any existing records, according to Lindsey’s forecast.
The record highs at the Paso Robles Airport are 114 degrees for Saturday and 115 degrees for Sunday, both of which were set in 1961.
Unfortunately, North County residents won’t get too much relief at night, as subtropical moisture will act as a blanket and keep heat from dispersing after dark, Lindsey said.
A lack of cool air during nighttime hours won’t give the homeless community and others who can’t escape the weather a chance to recover from the daytime heat, he said.
“It’s probably putting a little more strain on people without air conditioners than it normally would,” Lindsey said.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for parts of San Luis Obispo that went into effect Friday morning.
In its warning, released Thursday, the agency warned of “dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 100 (degrees) expected.”
Those conditions are expected to last through 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to the NWS.
The extreme heat will impact the interior valleys and mountains of San Luis Obispo County as well as the Cuyama Valley area, the agency said. That includes the cities of Paso Robles and Atascadero.
