Latest news with #Zehr
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Triple-digit heat in forecast as California braces for scorching summer
Much of California is set for its first heat wave of the season, as weather experts predict several parts of the state could experience record-high temperatures. The surge of warmth is expected to sweep across the state, peaking on Friday, May 30. Temperatures could soar near or above 100 degrees in the warmest deserts and valleys this weekend, said Heather Zehr, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather on May 27. "Really, this is the first widespread heat wave of the season," said Zehr, adding those areas are already under an extreme heat watch. "While there have been some heat cells, a couple of days here and there that's been shorter in duration, but in terms of the scope of the land area, this is the first." In California's Central Valley, triple digits are likely, as some locations could break daily records, according to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. Redding is forecast to hit up to 109 degrees on May 30, which would tie the city's all-time May record set in 2021, the agency said. Sacramento also could reach a high of 105 degrees on May 30, and Bakersfield could see a high of 106 degrees on May 31, the weather service added. Other cities with the greatest chance of breaking record highs include Paso Robles, Ojai, Palmdale and Lancaster, the weather service said. "There is an increasing chance — 30% to 40% — of Friday's highs approaching or breaking calendar daytime record(s) across some valley and desert areas," the agency said in its May 27 forecast. The triple-digit temps could extend into eastern parts of the San Francisco Bay Area as well. "There's definitely a significant warm-up expected in those areas, especially this Friday and Saturday," said Ryan Kittell, a weather service meteorologist based in Los Angeles. The Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-normal temperatures across most of California by Friday, May 30. However, cooler temps are expected throughout California by next weekend, Kittell said. Hot, hot, hot: Here's what Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting for summer 2025 in California The anticipated post-Memorial Day weekend heat wave in California comes as the weather service's latest three-month outlook on May 15 predicted temperatures in June, July and August will be "above normal" this summer. ''Normal' is based on the average of all temperatures from 1991 to 2020,' the weather service said. Additionally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center also predicts that this summer, California and the rest of the contiguous United States will experience above-average temperatures. Meteorological summer starts on June 1. And the astronomical summer, which is marked by the summer solstice, begins on June 20. A primer: All your questions about the 2025 hurricane season answered About 22.7 million Californians were living in areas affected by drought, according to a report released by the National Integrated Drought Information System on May 23. Overall, nearly 40% of California is experiencing drought conditions, with 18.3% classified as abnormally dry, 15.1% in moderate drought, 17.6% in severe drought, 7.0% in extreme drought and 0.1% in exceptional drought, a May 20 report said. "The drought is pretty much focused on the southern part of the state," Kittell said. "Most of California doesn't get much rain during the summer months, so for the vast majority of the state, it will be dry.". Weather Service working with less: First came the weather service staffing cuts. Then came the tornadoes. AccuWeather's Zehr also warns that the combination of intense to extreme heat, low humidity and dry vegetation could also increase the risk of wildfires sparking across the state. California is still recovering from the Palisades and Eaton fires, which swept through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena regions earlier this year, killing at least 29 and burning over 37,000 acres, or 57.8 square miles. The fires were fully contained in early February. They have been ranked as the second and third most destructive wildfires in California history, according to Cal Fire. "There may be an expansion of the short-term drought conditions, including areas with extreme or exceptional drought levels," Zehr said. "There hasn't been widespread, meaningful rainfall in California since mid- to late March, so fuels have had a chance to dry considerably over the past two months." Additionally, Zehr said there will be "a very dry air mass," along with the low relative humidity this weekend. "The high heat will help to make it even drier," Zehr said. "Gusty winds, while not reaching alarming levels, will also contribute to the dryness. These conditions will make it easier for fires to start and spread." (This story has been updated to add more information.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California's first 'widespread' heat wave is coming this weekend
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
1st heat wave of the season to bake West with 100-degree temps
Some of the hottest weather of the year so far is in store for the interior western United States from later this week to this weekend. Highs will be in the triple digits Fahrenheit in some areas during the heat wave before cooler air, showers and thunderstorms arrive, AccuWeather meteorologists say. A strong area of high pressure is what will cause temperatures to surge. Adding to this will be a general offshore flow, where the wind travels from the land to the water. This prevents any cooling by the chilly ocean water along the coast or the notorious "June gloom" this time of the year. The offshore flow will be caused by the strong high pressure area to the north and a storm setting up over the Pacific southwest of Southern California. "This will be the first heat wave of the season in the West," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr said, "There have been other warm spells before, but not quite the scope of the upcoming heat." Some daily record highs will be challenged. Areas near the coast will be at their warmest level Friday, while the interior will be either warmest Saturday or similar for both days. The extreme heat will also reach farther north, into the Northwest, the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+ There should be a sea breeze kicking in each day, which will somewhat limit the heat for the coastal cities. However, even temperatures there will be able to rise to 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit above historical averages before the sea breeze arrives. For example, temperatures in San Francisco will peak in the middle to upper 70s, compared to the typical high in the upper 60s. "The peak of the heat for Sacramento, California, will be 103 degrees on Friday, with 107 degrees for Redding, California, on the same day," Zehr said. "Redding will also get well above 100 on Saturday, reaching 106. Farther south, the hottest day for Fresno, California, will be Saturday with a high of 106." Farther inland, Boise, Idaho, will experience temperatures reaching the upper 90s Saturday, with a chance of triple-digit readings. The core of the heat will likely escape Southern California, with temperatures only reaching the 70s and 80s around Los Angeles. However, temperatures over parts of the interior Southwest can reach and top 100. Las Vegas may touch 100 as early as Wednesday, with highs of 106 forecast for both Friday and Saturday. This would top the highest temperature of the year so far, which was 100 degrees reached on May 22. Salt Lake City's highs are forecast to be well into the 90s this weekend, with a typical high in the upper 70s. The highest temperature so far this year was 89 on May 10 and 12. Drought, wildfire risk to increase in short-term There will be an expansion of the short-term drought conditions, including those with extreme or exceptional drought levels. "There hasn't been widespread, meaningful rainfall in California since mid- to late March, so fuels have had a chance to dry considerably over the past two months," Zehr said, "Additionally, the air will be very dry to begin with, and the high heat will help to make it even drier. Gusty winds, while not reaching damaging levels, will also contribute to the dryness and make it easier for fires to start and quickly spread." Rain for some areas may arrive this weekend to early next week Two main storm systems will help break the heat wave, and they may bring some rainfall to the West. The first will be a storm that drops southeastward from the northern Pacific and then pushes inland over the Northwest. That alone should be enough to trigger at least spotty showers and thunderstorms. Where there are lightning strikes and little or no rain, wildfires may erupt. The other is associated with the mainly dry storm off the coast of Southern California. The track this storm takes and how much moisture it is able to pull northward from the tropics could help initiate the start of the North American monsoon. A tropical rainstorm that may soon become the first named system in the eastern Pacific could help send some moisture beyond the coast and mountains of Mexico and perhaps into part of the southwestern U.S. later this weekend to early next week. Once again, where little or no rain falls and lightning occurs, the risk of wildfires may increase. Both storms will work in conjunction to break the heat wave, causing temperatures to trend downward while humidity levels rise. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
USA Today
27-05-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
California bracing for first 'widespread' heat wave this weekend: See temperatures
California bracing for first 'widespread' heat wave this weekend: See temperatures Show Caption Hide Caption Safety tips to keep dogs cool on hot days On those sweltering summer days, here are some tips to keep dogs cool and safe in the heat. Much of California is set for its first heat wave of the season and several parts of the state could experience record-high temperatures, weather experts predict. The surge of warmth is expected to sweep across the state, peaking on Friday, May 30, as temperatures could soar near or above 100 degrees in the warmest deserts and valleys this weekend, said Heather Zehr, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather on May 27. "Really, this is the first widespread heat wave of the season," said Zehr, adding those areas are already under an extreme heat watch. "While there have been some heat cells, a couple of days here and there that's been shorter in duration, but in terms of the scope of the land area, this is the first." In California's Central Valley, triple digits are likely, as some locations could break daily records, according to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. Redding is forecast to hit up to 109 degrees on May 30, which would tie the city's all-time May record set in 2021, the agency said. Sacramento also could reach a high of 105 degrees on May 30, and Bakersfield could see a high of 106 degrees on May 31, the weather service added. Other cities with the greatest chance of breaking record highs include Paso Robles, Ojai, Palmdale and Lancaster, the weather service said. "There is an increasing chance — 30% to 40% — of Friday's highs approaching or breaking calendar daytime record(s) across some valley and desert areas," the agency said in its May 27 forecast. The triple-digit temps could extend into eastern parts of the San Francisco Bay Area as well. "There's definitely a significant warm-up expected in those areas, especially this Friday and Saturday," said Ryan Kittell, a weather service meteorologist based in Los Angeles. The Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-normal temperatures across most of California by Friday, May 30. However, cooler temps are expected throughout California by next weekend, Kittell said. 'Above normal' temps expected in California this summer The anticipated post-Memorial Day weekend heat wave in California comes as the weather service's latest three-month outlook on May 15 predicted temperatures in June, July and August will be "above normal" this summer. ''Normal' is based on the average of all temperatures from 1991 to 2020,' the weather service said. Additionally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center and the Old Farmer's Almanac also predict California, and the rest of the contiguous United States, will experience above-average temperatures this summer, which is officially less than a month away, and starts June 20. A primer: All your questions about the 2025 hurricane season answered Will California's warm weather lead to drought? About 22.7 million Californians were living in areas affected by drought, according to a report released by the National Integrated Drought Information System on May 23. Weather Service working with less: First came the weather service staffing cuts. Then came the tornadoes. Overall, nearly 40% of California is experiencing drought conditions, with 18.3% classified as abnormally dry, 15.1% in moderate drought, 17.6% in severe drought, 7.0% in extreme drought and 0.1% in exceptional drought, a May 20 report said. "The drought is pretty much focused on the southern part of the state," Kittell said. "Most of California doesn't get much rain during the summer months, so for the vast majority of the state, it will be dry.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
California bracing for first 'widespread' heat wave this weekend: See temperatures
Much of California is set for its first heat wave of the season and several parts of the state could experience record-high temperatures, weather experts predict. The surge of warmth is expected to sweep across the state, peaking on Friday, May 30, as temperatures could soar near or above 100 degrees in the warmest deserts and valleys this weekend, said Heather Zehr, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather on May 27. "Really, this is the first widespread heat wave of the season," said Zehr, adding those areas are already under an extreme heat watch. "While there have been some heat cells, a couple of days here and there that's been shorter in duration, but in terms of the scope of the land area, this is the first." In California's Central Valley, triple digits are likely, as some locations could break daily records, according to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. Redding is forecast to hit up to 109 degrees on May 30, which would tie the city's all-time May record set in 2021, the agency said. Sacramento also could reach a high of 105 degrees on May 30, and Bakersfield could see a high of 106 degrees on May 31, the weather service added. Other cities with the greatest chance of breaking record highs include Paso Robles, Ojai, Palmdale and Lancaster, the weather service said. "There is an increasing chance — 30% to 40% — of Friday's highs approaching or breaking calendar daytime record(s) across some valley and desert areas," the agency said in its May 27 forecast. The triple-digit temps could extend into eastern parts of the San Francisco Bay Area as well. "There's definitely a significant warm-up expected in those areas, especially this Friday and Saturday," said Ryan Kittell, a weather service meteorologist based in Los Angeles. The Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-normal temperatures across most of California by Friday, May 30. However, cooler temps are expected throughout California by next weekend, Kittell said. The anticipated post-Memorial Day weekend heat wave in California comes as the weather service's latest three-month outlook on May 15 predicted temperatures in June, July and August will be "above normal" this summer. ''Normal' is based on the average of all temperatures from 1991 to 2020,' the weather service said. Additionally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center and the Old Farmer's Almanac also predict California, and the rest of the contiguous United States, will experience above-average temperatures this summer, which is officially less than a month away, and starts June 20. A primer: All your questions about the 2025 hurricane season answered About 22.7 million Californians were living in areas affected by drought, according to a report released by the National Integrated Drought Information System on May 23. Weather Service working with less: First came the weather service staffing cuts. Then came the tornadoes. Overall, nearly 40% of California is experiencing drought conditions, with 18.3% classified as abnormally dry, 15.1% in moderate drought, 17.6% in severe drought, 7.0% in extreme drought and 0.1% in exceptional drought, a May 20 report said. "The drought is pretty much focused on the southern part of the state," Kittell said. "Most of California doesn't get much rain during the summer months, so for the vast majority of the state, it will be dry. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California's first 'widespread' heat wave is coming this weekend
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Record-challenging heat to build over Southwest, including over 100 F in Phoenix
Temperatures will throttle up over the southwestern United States into this weekend with some of the highest temperatures of the year so far for many areas across the interior, AccuWeather meteorologists say. The string of hot, dry days will boost the spring wildfire risk in the region. "A strong area of high pressure will bring unusual warmth for this time of year for the rest of this week and this weekend," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr said, "The high looks strongest from Wednesday through Friday, then weakens a bit this weekend as it slides eastward." Temperatures will run 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit above historical averages at the peak, with records challenged. Factoring in April sunshine, which is equivalent to sunshine in August, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures can spike to 10 degrees or more above the actual temperature during the day. "Phoenix is likely to experience its first 100 F or higher reading of the year on Thursday," Zehr said, "Friday and Saturday may also top 100." The average date for the first 100 is May 2 at Phoenix. The earliest date was March 26, 1988. For outdoor enthusiasts who will be venturing out in the wilderness over the next week or so, be sure to pack plenty of water, as the sun and heat in remote areas can have deadly consequences. In California, the interior will get very warm, but sea breezes will keep coastal areas relatively cool, and there can be some short-lived fog along and near the coast to start each day. "There is a chance an eddy forms just offshore of Southern California, which is a common phenomenon in June," Zehr said. The counterclockwise circulation around the eddy can direct long-lasting cool, damp air with clouds and drizzle toward Southern California beaches and even to the Interstate 5 corridor. "If that eddy forms, coastal areas could be cloudy, drizzly and chilly for days, just like it often occurs in June," Zehr the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+ The core of the heat will begin to shift farther to the east over the Southwest this weekend. As this occurs, temperatures should intensify in the California deserts first, followed by the Nevada and Arizona deserts as the weekend progresses. Cities such as Denver will join in on the heat surge and may challenge record highs. Across the interior Southwest, where temperatures will be the highest and the air the driest, the risk of wildfires will increase, especially by the weekend, following a week of scorching sunshine. Locally gusty winds could fan the flames of any fire sparked by human interaction, as thunderstorm activity is not expected. People are urged to be extremely careful with open flames, power equipment, or anything that can lead to sparks. Motorists should also avoid parking vehicles, even for a few minutes, on high grass and brush, as contact with the hot exhaust systems can start a fire. It could be many weeks before some rainfall from the North American monsoon is widespread over the Southwest. Drought conditions will continue to worsen beforehand. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
