Much of California is in for a one-two weather punch this week, with a severe heat wave and a high fire risk looming at a time when millions of people will be outside enjoying Independence Day.
Kate Forrest, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in California’s capital city, says temperatures in the Sacramento Valley might reach 115 degrees. A heat warning will be issued in the area starting Tuesday and expected to linger until at least Saturday.
“We are expecting elevated heat and extreme heat risk throughout most of interior California,” Mr. Forrest stated. “This heat is going to be a prolonged event.”
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Forecasters expect the heat wave to begin in inland California on Tuesday, then spread to the Pacific Northwest and Southern California later in the week. The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat watches, warnings, and advisories for the West on Tuesday, extending from southern Oregon to the low desert in southeast California.
The high temperatures are the result of a powerful high pressure system that will stay over the region.
“High pressure systems force air downward, causing that air to compress and increase temperature,” says Forrest. “That air stays stagnant.”
State officials are bracing for the heat. Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized emergency personnel to activate the state’s operations center, which serves as its central command post during emergencies, according to a news release from his office.
In some areas, the temperature can exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit even at night. According to the HeatRisk map, a tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Weather Service, the majority of inland California will experience “extreme” conditions by Friday. The classification indicates that the agencies anticipate implications on health care institutions and infrastructure.
The area around Medford, Oregon, and other southern areas of the state are also under an excessive heat watch through Saturday.
“If you have neighbors who don’t have air conditioning, check on them a little more often,” said Brad Schaaf, lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Medford.
According to Schaaf, some projection models indicate that the Medford region could set a record for the number of consecutive 100-degree days. In 1967, the region suffered ten consecutive days like this.
Both states will experience dangerous fire conditions as temperatures increase sharply on Tuesday.
Pacific Gas & Electric said Monday that power outages are probable in ten California counties on Tuesday due to heavy winds and dry weather throughout central California. Shut-offs are intended to proactively reduce the risk of wildfires in locations where winds may topple power lines or force trees to fall on them. Some shut-offs are also planned on Wednesday.
However, if the mercury increases to unsafe levels, some areas may certainly lose power due to preventative outages.
Forrest projected up to a 45% possibility of wind gusts above 35 mph in the Sacramento Valley, with humidity levels dropping into the single digits – a recipe for rapid flames.
Plants are dry and ready to fire, especially at elevations below 3,000 feet, she explained.
“If the ignition starts, it will spread,” Forrest warned.
That’s unfortunate timing, as July Fourth celebrations begin with fireworks displays.
“It’s not ideal,” Schaaf explained. “We want to urge everyone to use extreme caution when participating in activities that cause sparks, like using fireworks.”
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is monitoring 13 active fires, only four of which have burnt more than 100 acres.
The Southwest’s wildfire season has already become deadly. A wildfire ripped through Ruidoso, New Mexico, last month, killing two people and destroying 500 homes.
Climate change increases the likelihood of wildfires and heatwaves. Last year, the organization Climate Central assessed how the frequency of fire weather days in the United States changed between 1973 and 2022. According to the estimate, the Sacramento Valley will experience roughly two weeks more of fire weather on average than it did 50 years ago.
Meanwhile, heat waves are becoming more common and longer-lasting, according to data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. On average, cities in the United States see two heat waves each year; currently, they receive six. The study also reveals that heat waves persist for around a day longer.
Source: NBC