SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – The Bay Area will now be under an excessive heat warning past Labor Day weekend, as weather experts forecast a sweltering heat wave to bring temperatures of up to 110 degrees.
For more, stream KCBS Radio now.
The high heat is expected to hit the region on Thursday and will last into next week, the National Weather Service reported. As a result, much of the inland Bay Area is now under an excessive heat warning through Tuesday night. An excessive heat watch, meanwhile, extends to the coastal areas during the same timeframe.
The East Bay, North Bay and inland Bay Area will bear the brunt of the weather, facing temperatures between the high 90s and 110 degrees, while coastal areas, including the San Francisco Peninsula, are forecast to see temps rise to the mid-70s and 80s.
NWS officials rated the high heat risk a three on a scale of zero to four.
With punishing heat set to envelop the state throughout the holiday weekend, state power officials issued a Flex Alert for Wednesday from 4-9 p.m. and another for the same time on Thursday.
"Intense weather events like these call for all of us to do our part," California Independent System Operator President Elliot Mainzer said.
Following the forecast, firefighters are on high alert.
"We're approaching the peak months of summer where we have critical fire danger through September and October. We're headed into a heat wave over the holiday weekend that’s coming up," Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Aaron McAlister cautioned to KCBS Radio.
The district is preparing for the heat wave by determining where to stage equipment and personnel to respond quickly to any wildfire sparks. It's the same practice other Bay Area firefighting agencies are employing, many in concert with CAL FIRE.
"We have had a milder, maybe even a normal wildfire season. We haven't seen the devastation that we've seen over the last five years, but the threat is there, the possibility is always there and we can't let our guard down," McAlister said.
McAllister advised that residents should have a plan and keep supplies readily available if they need to exit their homes without an advance notice. He also said the extreme heat could result in power outages, as California's electricity grid operator prepares for the heat wave.
DOWNLOAD the Audacy App
SIGN UP and follow KCBS Radio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Related
