How hot will it get this week in Fresno area? Weather service has scorching forecast

Record-breaking and potentially dangerous heat is predicted for the coming week in the Fresno area.

The National Weather Service in Hanford expects a string of 100-degree weather starting Tuesday.

Meteorologist Carlos Molina said Monday will be cooler than the coming days, with temperatures in the high 90s. On Tuesday, he said, “the heat really starts up.”

That’s because a high-pressure system is expected to sit over the central San Joaquin Valley and heat the ground. The heat is unusual for this time, Molina said.

“It’s going to be well above where we should be right now for late May.”

Challenging record temperatures

The Fresno area should expect a high temperature of 103 degrees on Tuesday, Molina said. The average high for the date is 87 degrees and the record high for the date is 104, set in 1974, according to weather service data.

On Wednesday, temperatures could reach 106 and then 107 by Thursday, according to Molina. Those readings would challenge the records for the date of 104 on May 27, 1974, and 107 on May 28, 1984.

Friday is expected to see 102 degrees.

Molina said the forecast highs are about 20 degrees higher than normal. The last time it got this hot in May was in 1984, he said. He said the heat wave heading into the Valley this week is typical of what’s felt in June.

A cool-down is expected the following weekend due to a storm system that is still off the coast. That could bring up to a week of cooler temperatures following the heat wave.

Molina said temperatures over 104 typically produce dangerous conditions, and people who are outside for long periods could start to experience heat-related exhaustion.

For those looking to escape the heat, foothills areas like Auberry and Three Rivers expect temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s in the coming week, Molina said.