Fresno hits a record high as state heat wave continues weeklong march
Fresno reached a record 112 degrees Sunday as a heat wave continued to scorch the central San Joaquin Valley.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Barlow confirmed the high, which broke the mark of 110 for the date set on Aug. 16, 1920.
Hanford, Madera and Merced also set records. Hanford topped out at 109 with its previous mark 108; Madera and Merced both climbed to 111 to shatter shared records of 109.
As of a 7:15 p.m. update provided by the Weather Service, current conditions showed it was still 104 at the Fresno Air Terminal.
An excessive heat warning is in place through Thursday for central Valley counties, and the coming weekend isn’t looking much better.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the Weather Service cautioned.
Foothill and mountain areas of Tulare County were under a flash flood warning and a significant weather advisory in northeastern Fresno and Kern counties warned of showers and thunderstorms brought by subtropical moisture pushing up from Mexico.
Fresno’s run of triple-digit highs, Barlow said, will continue throughout the week. Highs on Monday through Wednesday are expected to be about 107 or 108.
A slight decline is expected Thursday to about 105 and on Friday to 103. Temperatures will then increase next weekend, with a high of 106 in the forecast.
Another round of rolling blackouts was announced by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. on Sunday night for three Bay Area counties — including San Francisco. The blackouts are ordered when power demand is expected to exceed supply.
Records also fell or were threatened along California’s Central Coast, with Paso Robles topping out at an all-time high of 114. Central Valley residents headed to the coast in big numbers to beat the heat.
“We’re just here to get out of our house in Fresno, which is so hot right now,” Michelle Garcia, who was visiting Morro Rock Beach on Sunday for the first time, told the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
This story was originally published August 16, 2020 at 7:35 PM.