Approaching high pressure system to bring sweltering Labor Day weekend
SAN FRANCISCO -- Two San Francisco Fire Department medics were attacked Monday morning according to a firefighters' post on Twitter that criticized the city government over such random incidents.
Forecasters said the heat wave will likely trigger warnings and advisories and put an extreme strain on the state's power grid.
"This is where we start to get more concerned about heat," the National Weather Service warned of the conditions beginning on Thursday. "Be cautious about planning outdoor activities for the holiday weekend."
"We could see low 100s around Santa Rosa and San Jose," weather service forecasters predicted for the weekend. "The East Bay could see 105 to 110 between the Livermore/Concord area eastward towards Discovery Bay/Byron Airport. Farther south, Morgan Hill and Gilroy are forecast around 105."
The heat wave will also lead to worsening wildfire conditions in hills, forests and fields already bone-dry from months of drought.
"After several days of strong heat, conditions will be much drier which may introduce some level of fire weather risk," the weather service said. "Drier fuels make for easier fire starts related to human activity."
It's not just Northern California that will be sweltering in the oppressive heat. Excessive heat watches will go into effect Wednesday morning and remain in effect through Sunday evening in a large swath of Southern California, including much of the normally temperate coastline, forecasters said.
Temperatures were predicted to top 100 degrees in many valley and mountain locations.
"This heat may be record breaking and will likely produce a very high heat illness risk," the Los Angeles-area weather office wrote.
The torrid conditions will be caused by high pressure that was already pushing into the state and making it difficult for onshore flow of marine air.
"These trends are forecast to continue and will likely set up (a) prolonged and likely dangerous heat event," the office said.
