Blistering heat could shatter records in Stanislaus County. Is there an end in sight?
Stanislaus County began a severe hot spell Tuesday that could shatter records. And there is no end in sight.
The National Weather Service has predicted eight consecutive days between 105 and 110 degrees. If the forecast is correct, that will overturn a record of five days in a row over 105 degrees, set in July 2006, said Melissa Williams, a spokeswoman for the Modesto Irrigation District.
Wednesday’s high, forecast for 109, could break the July 3 record of 108 degrees set in 1991.
The extraordinary series of daily highs could include 108 on the Fourth of July, 111 on Saturday and 110 on Sunday. The heat wave is expected to extend into next week, with 107 degrees forecast for Monday and 106 on Tuesday.
“The confidence is not great beyond the seven days,” said Katrina Hand, a Weather Service meteorologist in Sacramento. “We are not seeing much relief until maybe mid to late next week.”
Weather forecasting beyond seven days is considered less reliable. Weather Underground is predicting more triple digits next week between 105 and 107 degrees from Tuesday to Friday.
The Weather Service calls it a “long duration” heat event with dangerous daytime high temperatures and warm lows overnight. An excessive heat warning was extended through Tuesday of next week.
Hand said this type of heat, about 10 to 20 degrees above normal, is unusual for early July. The heat wave is not only a danger to vulnerable people., it can be deadly for anyone who doesn’t have effective cooling, the Weather Service said.
“We encourage all people to be checking the forecast and follow the heat safety precautions,” Hand said. “Everyone needs to take precautions to stay safe.”
According to the Modesto Irrigation District, Tuesday’s daytime high was 103 degrees, while 105 was recorded at the Modesto Airport on the Weather Service website. Those readings were below the forecast of 107.
Some events have been canceled due to the heat. Stanislaus County’s Mobile RecVan program was suspended the rest of the week, including recreation activities at Parklawn and Oregon parks. The program is expected to resume next week.
The McHenry Museum’s DoMo First Friday event for July 5 was canceled.
The excessive heat hasn’t disrupted Modesto’s Independence Day parade, which is set to start at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The Stanislaus County Fair begins Friday for a 10-day run.
The warm-up could break the five-day record set in the deadly heat wave of July 2006, when 23 people died in Stanislaus County. The 2006 event was marked by eight straight days over 100 degrees and five days, July 21-July 25, with highs of 105 or above. The temperature reached 111 for three days in a row and the humidity made it feel like 120.
Williams said the hot spell in September 2022 came close to the record of five days over 105.
The unusually high temperatures — it’s a dry heat this time — are gripping a region from the Bay Area to the Sierra foothills. Wednesday’s forecast calls for 104 degrees in Sonora, 108 in Livermore, 99 in San Jose, 91 in Oakland and 84 in San Francisco.
The health advice for staying safe in the Central Valley heat is to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms, limit exposure to the sun and check on relatives and neighbors. Also, protect your pets.
The Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services has a list of cooling zones. During excessive heat warnings, people can take fixed-route transit buses to cooling centers and ask to waive the fare.
