Brian Ochs Warns Fresno Could Hit 102 Degrees — Extreme Heat Warning

Fresno could reach 102 degrees by Monday, and Brian Ochs of the National Weather Service office in Hanford said that would make it the earliest date on record for that mark. The extreme heat warning covers parts of California as sweltering weather moves into much of the state over the next few days.

Fresno and the Central Valley

Ochs said Fresno last reached 102 degrees this early in the year in 2013, when it hit that mark on May 12. Temperatures could top 100 degrees in the Central Valley for the first time this year, with the heat arriving before many residents are used to it.

He said, "People won’t be as used to it."

That timing puts inland communities under the first real stretch of high heat this season while the coast remains cooler under May gray. The San Francisco Bay Area is being warned of a moderate risk of heat illness for Mother’s Day weekend and beyond, especially inland.

Southern California Watches

Meteorologists issued an extreme heat watch starting Mother’s Day morning through Tuesday evening for Palm Springs, the rest of the Coachella Valley, the deserts of San Diego County and the San Gorgonio Pass. Another watch starts Sunday morning for swaths of Imperial County and runs through Monday night.

By Monday, Barstow could hit 102 degrees, Borrego Springs could hit 107, Palm Springs could reach 108 and Death Valley could reach 111. Afternoon temperatures could climb to 112 degrees in Imperial County.

Forecasters also expect Southern California to warm into the 80s on Sunday in downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena and Simi Valley. They said Sunday temperatures could reach 77 in Irvine, 82 in Anaheim, 83 in downtown Los Angeles, 86 in Pasadena, 89 in Ontario and Riverside, 91 in Santa Clarita, 93 in Paso Robles and San Bernardino, 94 in Lancaster and 106 in Palm Springs.

Heat Illness Risk

Forecasters across the state are advising residents to take action to avoid heat illness. The weather service in Oxnard said to limit strenuous outdoor activities to the early morning hours and stay in well-shaded areas or air conditioned spaces.

In the San Joaquin Valley, meteorologists are urging people to walk dogs before dawn or after dusk and avoid walking them on asphalt. They said horses and livestock need troughs filled daily because consumption can double in the heat.

Adults 65 and older, infants, athletes, outdoor workers, people with chronic diseases and those without effective cooling are among the groups at highest risk as temperatures climb through Tuesday.