Heat Wave Continues Throughout Work Week in Riverside County

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - Blazing temperatures are expected again Tuesday throughout Riverside County amid a heat wave that will last until this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

High pressure centered off the West Coast will strengthen throughout the week and bring above average temperatures through at least Friday, forecasters said. Humidity will also drop to around 10-15 percent throughout Riverside County most afternoons this week, slightly elevating the risk of wildfires in the Riverside metropolitan area and the county mountains.

The NWS issued a heat advisory that will be in effect from 11 a.m. Tuesday to 5 p.m. Friday in the Riverside metropolitan area.

Residents are advised to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air- conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors, according to the NWS. The agency also stresses that children, senior and pets must never be left in a vehicle parked in hot weather, even with windows open, as interior temperatures can rapidly turn lethal.

High temperatures Tuesday are forecast to reach 104 in the Coachella Valley, 98 in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, 101 in Hemet, 103 in Riverside, 99 in Lake Elsinore, 100 in Temecula and 81 in Idyllwild.

Highs could reach 102 in much of the Riverside metropolitan area on Wednesday, then rise to 104 on Thursday, forecasters said. The mercury in the Coachella Valley is expected to top out at 103 on Wednesday before increasing to 105 on Thursday.

Riverside County has 35 cooling centers available countywide with mandatory mask wearing and social distancing protocols in place.

A full list of the cooling center locations can be found at: https://www.capriverside.org/Cool-Centers.

— By City News Service