It seems like we've been waiting for this part of the forecast for some time, the heat wave to begin in the interior. This is a well-forecasted event with high temperatures anticipated to be between 100 to perhaps as high as 110 degrees over the next several days.
On the first day, there is a heated advisory in place for all inland areas. This is not the most severe type of advisory for heat but it does indicate that people need to take precautions against it.
The heat advisory is only for Thursday into Friday morning. Friday morning through Monday an excessive heat warning is in place.
This is the most concerning part of the forecast where the daytime highs will range between 105 to 110 but the overnight lows are also quite warm. Not only is personal safety an issue during the heat wave but also elevated fire risk. That excessive heat warning drops Monday morning at 10:00 AM but a final advisory, and excessive heat watch, is in place from Monday morning through Monday evening.
The cause of the heat wave is a ridge of high pressure that is building from the four corners region back into the western United States. That Ridge of high pressure peaks on Friday and Saturday and so did the temperatures. Monday into Tuesday a trough of low pressure moves into the Pacific Northwest and weakens the Ridge and temperatures drop back into the middle 90s in the interior. for Tuesday and Wednesday. It appears though that another excessive heat event sets up later next week into the following weekend.
It is important to note that not everyone is covered in excessive heat. Beaches have been dealing with stubborn low clouds and partial clearing while the coastal valleys have night and morning low clouds in the afternoon sunshine. All these places warm as well but there will still be some level of marine influence keeping temperatures from being extreme. You'll find beaches generally in the 60s and lower 70s over the next several days with coastal valleys in the 70s to mid 80s.
