Friday was the primary full day of summer, and in keeping with the National Weather Service, it promised intense heat that will dry out large parts of the Bay Area.
“The most significant changes will be seen Thursday into Friday,” said NWS meteorologist Dalton Behringer. “Temperatures will average 6 to 10 degrees higher than 24 hours ago. The hottest day, however, will be Saturday.”
As the summer solstice – the official start of summer – arrived at 12:50 p.m. Thursday, a high pressure system formed in the inside of the state – and in addition statewide. This ridge of high pressure is thick and can cause temperatures to rise across much of the inside, Behringer said.
As a result, temperatures will rise to no less than 30 degrees across much of the Bay Area on Friday, with the most well liked areas reaching 35 degrees, Behringer said. By Saturday, some inland cities could reach temperatures within the triple digits.
Concord is predicted to see highs of 91 degrees on Friday, as is Livermore. Both are expected to achieve 99 degrees on Saturday. In the South Bay, Morgan Hill is predicted to see highs of 89 degrees on Friday before rising to 97 degrees on Saturday. San Jose is predicted to see highs of 83 degrees on Thursday before rising to 91 degrees on Saturday.
“The good news is we're still calling this an advancing pattern,” Behringer said. “It's still moving, so it's going to leave the region pretty quickly and still stay pretty comfortable near the water.”
The marine layer within the Bay Area is predicted to vanish for a number of days, although winds will remain strong. According to the weather service, temperatures in San Mateo are expected to achieve a high of 23 degrees on Friday and 27 degrees on Saturday. In Oakland, highs of twenty-two degrees are expected on Friday and 24 degrees on Saturday, while in San Francisco, temperatures aren’t expected to exceed 15 degrees on either day.
On Sunday, the thermometer will drop again, said Behringer. On Monday, “it will be 8 to 10 degrees cooler than on Saturday, and in the following days a more or less normal temperature pattern will be established.”
Meteorologists urged people to remain hydrated in the warmth by drinking every hour, not only when it starts to feel hot. People sensitive to heat were urged to remain in cool areas if possible. Safety officials added that children and animals should never be left in cars; heat-related illness and death can occur inside minutes, they said.
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