The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for the Coachella Valley on Wednesday, Aug. 19, as temperatures were expected to repeatedly soar pass 110 degrees over the rest of the week.
The warning took effect at 10 a.m. and was initially scheduled to expire at 8 p.m. Friday, although an NWS meteorologist said it could be extended through the weekend, given forecasts showing continued extreme heat through at least then.As of early Wednesday, the agency was forecasting highs of at or above 110 through Sunday, including a high of 112 on Saturday in Palm Springs. Those temperatures would be about three to five degrees above the already scorching average highs for the period.
Overnight lows were also forecast to be in the upper 80s,
which NWS meteorologist Adam Roser said would put them 5 to 10 degrees above average low temperatures for this point in August.
But if that forecast didn’t already sound plenty oppressive on its own, Roser said monsoonal moisture will “creep back into the area” starting Wednesday. While the monsoon was unlikely to produce rain, Moser said it would “probably feel a bit more humid on Thursday and Friday.”
As a result, the National Weather Service was forecasting that the heat index — a measure that combines the air temperature with relative humidity to indicate how hot the temperature feels to the human body — could reach as high as 116 degrees on Wednesday and 118 degrees on Thursday in portions of the valley.
The agency was also forecasting “a slight chance of thunderstorms” on Monday, Aug. 24, when the valley was expected to see only slight relief from the most intense temperatures, with a forecasted high of 108.
While the forecast is undoubtedly scorching, raw air temperatures were not expected to reach or surpass the year’s current high temperature of 117 degrees, which the valley had hit on two occasions so far this summer. However, the forecasted heat indexes could make it feel about as hot as it has all summer.
What to do in extreme heat
During extreme heat warnings, the National Weather Service recommends people avoid outdoor activities and stay inside air-conditioned spaces as much as they can. It suggests that people who can’t avoid going outside drink lots of water and take breaks often in the shade.
Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Extreme heat warning for Palm Springs area, with highs above 110
