Abnormally high temperatures are forecasted for the weekend for Stockton and San Joaquin County, according to the National Weather Service.
The unseasonably warm weather is expected to start ramping up Sunday, with highs in the mid-80s, potentially continuing into the low 90s early next week, according to the weather service forecasts. This heat is due to a strong high-pressure ridge building over Northern California, which traps warmer air and leads to above-normal conditions similar to what might be seen during summer.
Kate Forrest, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Sacramento, emphasized the need for caution..
“We’re really encouraging people to practice heat safety, because it does look like the warmer temperatures are going to continue well into early next week and potentially through the middle of the week as well,” she told Stocktonia Thursday. “Bring some extra water if you’re going around town or spending any time outside in the heat, make sure to just take some breaks in the shade, stay hydrated and wear sun protection.”
A high-pressure ridge acts like a dome over the region, suppressing clouds and precipitation, while allowing temperatures to climb, according to the NWS. In this case, the ridge will flatten slightly over the weekend, bringing some northerly winds with gusts up to 15-20 mph Saturday into Sunday, before strengthening again and pushing heat higher.
Looking ahead, the ridge’s influence will keep temperatures elevated into next week, with highs potentially hitting the low 90s by Tuesday and continuing through Thursday, the NWS forecasts. Minor heat risk is anticipated across interior Northern California, including isolated moderate heat risk for areas in and around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Joaquin Valley.
No significant rain or storms are in the forecast for the foreseeable, the weather service say, though patchy morning fog could linger in low-lying areas.
Friday is expected to be mostly sunny with highs in the mid to upper 70s, a few degrees above normal for this time of year, the NWS forecasts. Expect low relative humidity, especially in higher terrain, and minor heat risk in the Central Valley.
Over the weekend temperatures will increase, according to the weather service. Saturday highs are expected to reach the upper 70s to low 80s, with the highs for Sunday forecasted to be around 84 degrees, about 15-25 degrees above normal for mid-March, according to Forrest.
On March 15 last year, the high was only 62 degrees, she said.