Santa Barbara is under an extreme heat warning through at least Thursday as 90-degree temperatures are expected for the city.
The long-duration heat wave will hit all of Santa Barbara County, with high temperatures expected for at least a week.
This heat event will not be as humid as the early September heat wave, according to meteorologists. Overnight low temperatures will also be a little lower, offering some nighttime relief.
County officials issued a health alert and sent out emergency messages warning people about the weather and offering safety tips to stay cool.
The chance of heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke increases significantly under these conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
Seeking out air-conditioned places like shopping centers, movie theaters and libraries can help, and finding cooler weather at beaches, county officials said.
Hot weather is expected to last into mid-October, so the extreme heat warning could go beyond Oct. 8, meteorologist Ryan Kittell said.
Santa Barbara’s forecast has high temperatures around 90 degrees for the next week and nighttime lows around 70 degrees.
The Santa Ynez Valley will reach 100 degrees and drop to the 60s overnight, according to the latest forecast.
The Santa Maria and Lompoc valleys are under a heat advisory rather than an extreme heat warning, but those communities will still have hot weather, with forecasted highs around 90 degrees or the high-80s. Nighttime lows will be in the 60s.
Read more heat safety tips here.
Local officials have not announced any specific cooling centers available for the heat wave, but the county information page notes that the Carpinteria Community Library is open and cool during its regular hours.
Jackie Ruiz of the Office of Emergency Management also noted that sunny weather is generally a good time to prepare for winter storms.
A strong El Niño winter could bring major storms and flooding with above-normal rainfall, according to experts.
Check the latest forecasts and weather-related alerts from the National Weather Service.
