Get your fans out: A 6-day heat wave could bring record highs to SLO County
San Luis Obispo County is expecting record-breaking high temperatures this weekend as a six-day heat wave descends on California.
The National Weather Service placed Paso Robles and other North County areas on an excessive heat watch beginning mid-day Friday. Excessive heat watches have also been issues for areas in Fresno County, Los Angeles County and Ventura County later this week, according to the NWS.
“It will be hot throughout the state, no doubt,” PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey told The Tribune. “But in Concord, Fresno and Paso Robles, it might be record-breaking.”
From Friday to Wednesday, Paso is expected to hit triple-digit highs, topping out at 111 degrees on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Evening temperatures from Friday to Wednesday will be in the high 60s, according to PG&E.
Atascadero will be a bit cooler but also could hit triple digits multiple days.
Lindsey said the 111-degree temperatures would near Paso Robles’ all-time high of 115 degrees and would break records for Aug. 16, 17 and 18. The weekend high temperatures are also the highest Paso Robles has seen all year, he said.
“As a meteorologist, you never want to forecast record (highs) because they’re records for a reason,” Lindsey said. “So, it’s unusual.”
Lindsey’s data shows that the record high temperature for Aug. 16 was 110 degrees in 1994. For Aug. 17, the record high was 110 degrees in 1992 and for Aug. 18, the record was 109 in 1967.
Lindsey said over the last 30 years, Paso Robles has seen more record-breaking highs than record low temperatures.
Heat wave could include rain showers
This heat wave, he said, is caused by a large dome of high pressure from the southwest that will move over the Central Coast.
Unlike typical heat in Paso Robles, Lindsey said the hot weather may come with rain showers.
The National Weather Service predicts a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday night and Friday.
“Regardless, it’s going to be muggy Thursday to Friday,” Lindsey said. “It’s going to be sticky and muggy.”
Lindsey said its also unusual that a subtropical system will kick off the heat wave, when usually it ends the high-temperature weather in this region.
The city of Paso Robles is currently working to identify areas that can be used for cooling centers for the weekend heat.
According to Paso Robles Department of Emergency Services Chief Jonathan Stornetta, the city is not using its typical cooling centers — the library and senior center — due to COVID-19.
“Out intent is to get some (cooling centers) over the weekend,” Stornetta said. “Our hopes are to have one by Friday.”
Stornetta said the city will release that information when a place large enough to accommodate social distancing is identified.
Along with heat illnesses, fires are also a concern during the heat wave.
“We are concerned, especially based on the fires we’ve already seen in this county,” Stornetta said. “We’re fully staffed this weekend and prepared.”
Weather forecast around SLO County
To the south, San Luis Obispo and coastal valley temperatures will be about 20 degrees cooler, according to PG&E’s weather forecast. However, Sunday is expected to near record-breaking temperatures.
Daily high temperatures for the remainder of the week and early next week will bounce between high 80s and low to mid-90s.
San Luis Obispo is expected to see the hottest temperatures Friday with a high of 94 degrees and a low of 62 degrees.
Sunday’s forecast predicts a 93-degree high, which is one degree short of the Aug. 16 record of 94 degrees set in 1994.
The best place to escape the heat will be at the beach.
Pismo Beach is expected to get up to a high of 80 degrees Friday, with temperatures dipping back down to the high 70s over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
Morro Bay is slated to have patchy fog Saturday, but will be in the mid-70s for most of the weekend, with a high of 77 degrees Saturday, according to the NWS.
