Good morning Central Coast!
Things are going to get hot here on the Central Coast as a large heatwave kicks off today. Let's dive right in!
As we kick off the morning there is some low lying cloud cover and marine fog across many of our lower elevations. That will clear out quickly but is still something to think about this morning.
Once that cloud cover clears out dense cool marine air will stick around in those communities keeping temps more moderate but for the interiors where this morning was clear temps are set to soar.
Highs today will be in the 70s by the beaches 80s in the coastal valleys and interiors will pass the 100° mark for the first of many days.
This is thanks to a high pressure system slowly drifting towards the west coast. As it pushes closer temps will continue to rise.
By Wednesday, highs will be into the 105° area for interiors. Not long at these temperatures can get hazardous.
The 4th of July will be in the upper 80s for most of our communities but interiors will near 110°. Take caution at outdoor events.
The heatwave will persist through the weekend and into early next week. The high-pressure system will stabilize over California, maintaining extremely high temperatures. Coastal regions will see minimal marine layer clouds, with interior areas facing highs between 95 to 105 degrees, and some spots reaching 105 to 115 degrees.
The hottest days will likely be Friday and Saturday, with temperatures peaking 10 to 20 degrees above normal.
Thanks to all this heat alerts are already in place.
An Excessive Heat Warning is in place for all of the interiors of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties from Tuesday morning through next Monday.
Coastal valleys have a Excessive Heat Advisory in place from Wednesday morning through Monday.
Here is what all of that looks like on your 7 day forecast.
With all of that here are some additional concerns to prepare for.
Sundowner Winds: The Santa Barbara south coast could experience warming sundowner winds on Thursday and Friday nights, potentially bringing near 100-degree temperatures during the early evening.
Fire Risks: The combination of extreme heat, low humidity, and potential winds increases the risk of wildfires. Especially with July 4th being this week, and people using fireworks.
Residents are urged to stay informed, take precautions to stay cool, and be aware of the health risks associated with extreme heat.
One note for our beaches, waves are slightly increased with added rip current risk. This combined with a hot holiday weekend will likely lead to packed beaches. Take caution and be aware.
Elevated surf and strong ocean currents will bring dangers to the beaches during the holiday heat wave. Stay off the dangerous rocks and always swim only near a lifeguard. #socal #marinewx #oceanwx pic.twitter.com/lIxz5EEf4q
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) July 1, 2024
Have a great day Central Coast! Stay cool and be aware of heat related illnesses.