Palm Springs and other parts of Coachella Valley face excessive heat warning

The Coachella Valley and desert areas within San Diego County are facing an excessive heat warning bringing what forecasters describe as "dangerously hot conditions" that will last into the weekend.

Palm Springs, Cathedral City, La Quinta and Palm Desert are a few of the areas of Riverside County that will be under the heat warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). In a written advisory issued at 12:32 p.m. Friday, NWS San Diego said the warning will remain in place now through 8 p.m. Saturday.

Forecasters are warning of the potential for heat-related illnesses due to the extremely high temperatures.

For the lower stretch of Southern California, spanning from Orange County down to the U.S.-Mexico border, desert communities will see higher than usual temperatures return this weekend. Highs of 108 to 114 degrees are forecasted for the Low Desert while the High Desert is expected to face peak temperatures of 95 to 100 degrees. 

Earlier this month, an extreme heat wave hit a wide swath of Southern California, when temperatures reached as high as 119 degrees within the city limits of Los Angeles — leading to power outages affecting thousands and dangerous wildfire risks. Days later, three devastating blazes sent people fleeing from their homes in Riverside, LA, San Bernardino and Orange counties. The wildfires destroyed dozens of homes and left several people injured.

It was part of a broader heat wave across California, Nevada and Arizona that affected more than 31 million people at one point. 

This weekend is not expected to see such alarming temperatures but forecasters are still warning people in the Coachella Valley and desert communities of San Diego County to take precautions such as drinking plenty of water, staying out of the sun, keeping inside air-conditioned rooms and checking up on their neighbors and relatives.