RIVERSIDE (CNS) – The mercury in Riverside County will rise into the mid-90s today and triple-digit temperatures are expected in the Coachella Valley as a heat wave is expected to last through at least the middle of next week, according to the National Weather Service.
A high pressure air mass drifting west will keep temperatures hot through Saturday, then high temperatures will drop a few degrees on Sunday and Monday before rising again early next week, forecasters said.
The NWS issued a heat advisory that will be in effect from 11 a.m. today to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Riverside metropolitan area.
NWS officials advised that those who work outdoors should avoid the midday sun, wear light, loose-fitting clothing and drink plenty of water.
Riverside could see a high of 96 degrees today, while temperatures in the Coachella Valley will top out at 102, forecasters said. On Saturday, skies will remain clear and highs will be 95 in Riverside and 101 in the Coachella Valley.
High temperatures elsewhere today are expected to reach 100 in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, 92 in Temecula, 94 in Hemet, 95 in Lake Elsinore and 76 in Idyllwild.
Winds out of the north and northeast will be moderate today, with wind gusts expected to top out at 30 mph this morning in the Coachella Valley and near the Riverside County mountains, according to the NWS.
Temperatures are expected to drop to the mid-80s to low-90s in the Riverside metropolitan area on Sunday and Monday, then rise again through Wednesday, forecasters said. The heat in the Coachella Valley is not expected to break until Thursday.
