Week-long Triple Digit Heat Wave Begins Today

This story has been updated to include information on public cooling centers.

Temperatures across most of Santa Clara County will soar today, reaching triple digits each day through at least Sunday, according the National Weather Service.

The service issued an excessive heat warning and heat advisory for California, beginning tomorrow.

The excessive heat warning, with temperatures forecast in the upper 90s to 110 degrees (F.) begins Tuesday and continues through the weekend  in “areas away from the immediate coast in the Bay Area and Central Coast” – including most of San Jose and Santa Clara County, plus sections of San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, as well as Contra Costa and northern Alameda counties.

National Weather Service, July 1, 2024

A heat advisory, with temperatures in the lower 80s to mid 90s, is forecast in the same period for northern sections of San Jose and Santa Clara County, as well as San Francisco and most of Alameda County.

With temperatures expected to soar to dangerous levels over the next few days, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority  is offering free rides on bus and light rail to designated Santa Clara County cooling centers from Tuesday, July 2 through Sunday, July 7.

The county has activated multiple locations for those who need relief from what’s expected to be unprecedented high temperatures this week. As a key partner in emergency response, VTA is offering free rides to anyone traveling to or from Santa Clara County Cooling Centers.

The City of San José libraries and select community centers are operating as Cooling Centers during regular business hours. Here are hours and locations for city libraries, and city community centers.

For more information on Hot Weather Safety and Cooling Centers please visit the County Office of Emergency Management (OEM).

High temperatures in San Jose are expected to reach 100 on July 2, with low temperatures staying in the 70s, with similar temperatures forecast at least through Sunday.

“With extreme heat, and especially prolonged heat events, it is a marathon, and not a sprint,” said the weather service in a statement. “Our bodies, infrastructure, pets, and livestock will be under duress from heat over the span of days as opposed to just a day or two.”

“Given that there is little overnight relief expected throughout this event, this is where it really becomes a marathon, and precautionary measures are necessitated in order to prevent adverse results such as heat exhaustion and stroke,” the weather service warned. “This is not just for individuals sensitive to heat, but rather, the entire population. Heat for this duration and at these temperatures can be dangerous for everyone.”

A “Red Flag Warning” about potential wildfires also is in effect through at least Wednesday, because of soaring temperatures, gusty winds and low humidity.

Residents in either warning area are advised to never leave people of pets in vehicles, limit outdoor activities during the afternoon and evening and stay hydrated and take cooling breaks.

The local forecast parallets similar heat warnings for most of the state west of the Sierra Mountains, as well as the southenn Plains states and the lower Mississippi Valley

The National Weather Service also warnedof flash flooding for parts of the Southeast U.S. coast as well as the Central and Southern Rockies, with severe thunderstorms in Midwest and Northern Plains. Meanwhile, “Category 4” Hurricane Beryl was headed into the central Caribbean on its way to Mexico.

 

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