Winter heat wave moving into Fresno this weekend. How long will it last?

The central San Joaquin Valley will warm up to near-record high temperatures this weekend, some pushing the thermometer close to the 80-degree mark.

The National Weather Service said it’s going to be shirtsleeve weather beginning Thursday, with a high of 74 degrees. It just gets warmer from there, with highs of 76 on Friday, and 78 both Saturday and Sunday, Super Bowl weekend. Colin McKellar, a meteorologist with the weather service in Hanford, said a high pressure ridge off the central coast is moving inland and southward, causing the buildup of warm air. Overnight lows will be in the 40s.

The all-time record for Fresno in February was 84 in 1930, so it won’t get that warm in Fresno, but McKellar said 80-degree temperatures are possible in the southern portions of the valley.

While the warm days will be a respite from a cold January, they come with an air quality that will be unhealthy for sensitive groups, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. The weather service also noted they will bring an increased wildfire risk.

A cooling trend is expected Monday, with a return to more normal temperatures of 60-degree days Tuesday, along with a 40 percent chance of precipitation in the Sierra Nevada and a 20 chance of showers on the Valley floor.