The Inland Empire is in for another week of intense heat, with temperatures expected to reach record-setting highs and unusually warm overnight lows across the region. The National Weather Service forecasts that the current warming trend will continue, potentially shattering temperature records before the weekend.
According to the NWS on Monday, high temperatures on Thursday are expected to be around 10 degrees above average for mountains and deserts, and 10 to 15 degrees above average for coastal and valley areas. This persistent heat means there could be “a large number of records for warmest low temperatures tied or broken on Thursday and Friday.”
A Heat Advisory for inland valleys, including the Riverside metropolitan area, was in effect until Tuesday morning. Immediately afterward, an Extreme Heat Warning took its place, remaining valid until Friday at 8 p.m. For the Coachella and Palo Verde valleys, an Extreme Heat Warning is active from Monday through Friday night. The Weather Service stated that the Heat Risk Index is expected to peak on Thursday, bringing a major to extreme risk for the lower deserts, valleys, and inland Orange County.
Western Riverside County has seen triple-digit temperatures consistently since shortly after the Fourth of July period, with daytime highs in Riverside at or just above 100 degrees for most of last week. The NWS indicates that ridges of high pressure are influencing this week's weather patterns, including one originating from the Pacific Ocean where surface temperatures are almost 1.5 degrees above normal due to a strengthening El Niño. While surface low pressure systems are present and contributing to monsoonal activity in the lower Arizona desert, meteorologists predict no thunderstorms for the inland region this week, except for a slight chance on Tuesday afternoon.
In the Riverside metro area, daytime highs are forecast to hit 103 degrees on Monday and Tuesday, with overnight lows generally hovering in the mid-70s. From Wednesday through Saturday, daily temperatures will likely peak between 105 and 110 degrees, and nighttime lows will be closer to 80 degrees.
Across the Coachella Valley, highs are expected to reach between 112 and 116 degrees all week long, with overnight temperatures staying in the low 90s. The Temecula Valley will experience conditions similar to Riverside, with the mercury peaking in the upper 90s on Monday and Tuesday and lows settling in the low 70s at night. From Wednesday to Saturday, temperatures in Temecula will peak at or just above 100 degrees, with lows in the mid-70s. Residents are reminded to take precautions during this extended period of extreme heat.
