CENTRAL COAST—Blistering heat has roasted much of California over the past six days, toppling records, prompting warnings and forcing precautionary measures around the state.
While Watsonville topped out at 93 degrees Tuesday, Corralitos stacked up 99, said Dalton Behringer, meteorologist with the National Weather Service of Monterey. But Gilroy walked off with the prize with a new record of 113, beating its previous record of 112. San Jose weighed in at 109 Tuesday and on Wednesday, Hollister reached 97.
Meteorologists have been pushing red buttons throughout the heat wave, including excessive heat warnings for inland areas, heat advisories closer to the coast, while Pacific Gas and Electric has been warning the public of a high risk of rolling blackouts.
Elsewhere, Livermore measured a staggering 116 degrees Tuesday, the hottest temperature ever recorded in the Bay Area. And Sacramento hit an all-time high of 116 degrees Tuesday afternoon, breaking a record of 114 that was set in 1925.
Relief is on the horizon though, Behringer said.
“There will be a gradual decline of the big heat into the weekend with the arrival of a marine presence Friday,” he said. “The big cool down comes Saturday and into Sunday.”
Added to that drama will be the arrival of what’s left of Hurricane Kay on the Central Coast Saturday night.
“We are expecting some moisture that could amount to scattered showers and thunderstorms starting up Saturday night,” Behringer said.
Hurricane Kay, a weakening category 2 storm, has been marching up the Pacific coast along the Baja toward San Diego.
“Kay could also bring the chance of lightning, which is something we will really keep an eye on,” Behringer said.
