Weather and emergency management officials have issued heat advisories and excessive heat watches for parts of Santa Barbara County.
Many regions of southwest California will see high temperatures in the next few days including the Santa Ynez Valley, the Cuyama Valley, the Montecito hills, and inland mountain areas.
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for 10 a.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Friday for areas including Lake Cachuma, Santa Ynez, Solvang, Los Olivos, the Montecito hills, and Figueroa Mountain.
An excessive heat watch is in effect from Friday morning through Saturday evening.
Temperatures in the 90s are expected in Solvang and the rest of the Santa Ynez Valley – with a high of 94 forecast for Thursday, 97 degrees for Friday, 94 for Saturday and 92 for Sunday.
New Cuyama will have daytime highs over 100, reaching a forecasted 106 degrees on Friday and the weekend.
The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management sent messages warning residents of the heat and offering tips to stay cool and avoid heat-related illness.
Those tips from OEM include:
Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink. If you have fluid restrictions from your doctor, ask to see how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
Take care of those who might not be aware of high temperature dangers or be able to react accordingly – especially the elderly, young children, and pets. Check on your neighbors.
Limit outdoor activity. Try to schedule outdoor activities during the cooler parts of the day, like morning and evening hours. Be sure to wear sunscreen and rest often.
For those who work outside, be sure to take frequent rest breaks in a shaded area or air-conditioned room, if possible. Stay hydrated and take action by moving to a cooler space if you feel signs of heat exhaustion.
Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room. A few hours in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler. Taking a cool shower or bath can help too.
If you do not have air‐conditioning, consider arranging to spend at least parts of the day at another space that is cool. Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness.
Wear appropriate clothing. Lightweight, light-colored, loose fitting clothing works best.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately.
Know the signs of heat stroke. Heat stroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot, flushed skin. With heat stroke, the person often stops sweating and the skin will be unusually dry. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is life threatening!
Do not leave children (and pets) unattended in vehicles. It only takes a matter of minutes on a relatively mild day for a vehicle to reach deadly temperatures.
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