Significant heatwave arrives Wednesday, tracking Red Flag Warnings & scorching heat
The heat arrives Wednesday! Plan accordingly as temperatures skyrocket quickly, by midday many inland areas will be scorching. Be aware of blacktop temperatures for pets and playground temperatures for kids. Highs rise into the 80s in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, upper 70s are expected for other coastal areas, so the beaches are a wonderful way to beat the heat. Inland near Santa Ynez and Buellton, expect triple digits and the possibility of 105 closer to the Kern County border. An Extreme Heat Warning begins today for most inland areas, this was upgraded from the extreme heat watch the last few days. A Red Flag Warning begins early Wednesday for most of the coverage zone. The National Weather Service highlights the term "explosive" fire behavior is possible due to weather conditions. A Heat Advisory in in effect closer to the coastline and a Wind Advisory will be posted as sundowner winds appear after dinner.
The peak of the heat arrives Thursday. Minimal and fast clearing cloud coverage will lead to a rapid warming trend. Use caution when headed out and always look before you lock. Car temperatures will be dangerously hot within a matter of minutes. Expect another round of mid to upper 80-s and the beaches, 90s and triple digits inland. Its possible some areas in our coverage zone could reach 110 degrees! Winds will be strong by the evening, heightening our fire risk. Use caution and be aware of your surroundings. Know your evacuation routes and have a go bag packed and ready.
The heat holds Friday into the weekend. Expect more days of clear skies and fast warming temperatures. Head to the pool or the beaches if possible. The weather takes a big shift Sunday into Monday. A low pressure system swings into the area bringing rain chances! As of now, a slight 10-20% chance of thunderstorms are likely but this will be monitored closely. It's likely that a lot of these storms will be rather moisture starved. Dry lightning may be a problem, especially due to how dry the brush and fire fuels are. The rain and cooler temperatures are needed. We dry out and warm back up into next week.
