California Faces Intense Multi-Phase Heat Wave Starting This Weekend
California is preparing for a significant, long-duration heat wave beginning this Friday, which is expected to be the state's hottest weather in at least two years. The weather pattern will occur in two phases: an initial blast of record-breaking temperatures focusing on Central and Southern California this weekend, followed by a second peak next week that will encompass most of the state, including the Bay Area. While Southern California will experience a brief cooling trend early in the week, high-pressure systems are expected to migrate back toward the region, pushing temperatures into the triple digits by Sunday. In the Central Valley, temperatures may reach 108 degrees, with some areas seeing 110-degree readings. The National Weather Service warns that elevated humidity and sea surface temperatures will keep overnight lows in the 70s and 80s, increasing the risk of heat stress. The heat wave is being influenced by tropical storms, including Hurricane Genevieve, which is converting heat at the upper levels of the atmosphere and helping to revive the high-pressure system for the second phase of the heat wave.