Even though Labor Day has passed us by, the biggest heat wave of the summer is upon us.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for Santa Ynez Valley, the Cuyama Valley and mountain areas of Santa Barbara County from Wednesday through Friday.
The agency also issued a heat advisory for coastal areas, in effect from 11 a.m. Thursday until 8 p.m. Friday.
Rose Schoenfeld, meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said Lake Cachuma, Solvang and Santa Ynez will see the hottest temperatures in the area but the whole county can expect above normal temperatures.
A fire weather watch was issued from Thursday afternoon through Saturday evening for the Santa Barbara South Coast and mountain areas for extreme heat and dry, windy conditions.
A red flag warning was issued Thursday morning and will remain in effect until 10 p.m. Saturday. A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are occuring due to the extreme heat, dry conditions, and gusty evening winds.
The red flag warning is for southern Santa Barbara County foothills and mountains. Residents are warned to use extreme caution with anything that could spark a wildfire.
Schoenfeld also warns that some areas will see warmer temperatures at night, staying in the 70s instead of dropping to the usual 60s.
“For the Santa Barbara South Coast the overnight lows, particularly Thursday night and Friday night, will still be pretty warm,” Schoenfeld said. “Some places won’t even cool into the 60s, it’ll stay in the 70s overnight, so there will be very little relief from the heat, especially Thursday and Friday night.”
For residents without air conditioners, Schoenfeld recommends keeping blinds drawn and putting cardboard or reflective material like tin foil in the windows to keep the heat out and then open the windows for circulation after the sun goes down.
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued a health alert for the excessive heat warning and officials sent out messages through the ReadySBC.org alerting system to local residents.
Forecast for the Week
In Santa Barbara, temperatures are expected to remain in the mid-80s during the day for the rest of the week and drop to the high-60s or low-70s at night. It will be warmer in foothill areas, reaching 100 degrees on Thursday.
Goleta can expect temperatures to remain in the low-80s during the day and the mid-60s to low-70s at night.
Solvang and other parts of the Santa Ynez Valley will see temperatures as hot as 107 degrees on Thursday and 104 degrees on Friday, then dropping back into the high-90s on Saturday and Sunday.
In Cuyama Valley, temperatures will remain around 100 all week with an excessive heat warning in effect. Temperatures will drop to the mid-60s at night.
Lompoc will see a high of 89 degrees on Thursday but then temperatures will drop down to the low-80s and high-70s for the rest of the week.
Similarly, Santa Maria will see temperatures in the 90s on Thursday but then drop to the low-80s and high-70s for the rest of the week.
Click here for the latest seven day forecast from the National Weather Service.
