Temperatures will begin cooling Friday evening in the Coachella Valley and highs are expected to dip below triple digits on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
High pressure over Southern California will weaken through Saturday, then a low pressure system moving northeast will bring cooling temperatures through at least Thursday, forecasters said.
High temperatures Friday are forecast to reach 104 in the Coachella Valley, 93 in the San Gorgonio Pass, 88 in Hemet, 85 in Lake Elsinore and Riverside, 80 in Temecula and 83 in Idyllwild.
An excessive heat warning is in effect through 7 p.m. Friday in the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning.
Riverside County officials on Friday announced 14 cooling centers were scheduled to open countywide with mandatory mask wearing and social distancing protocols starting Monday. They will be set up in community buildings like schools or senior centers already equipped with air-conditioning, and are expected to remain open until October, or as temperatures warrant.
Among the 14 locations, five are in the Coachella Valley, two in the Banning Pass, one in Moreno Valley, one in Temecula and five in Riverside.
The NWS urged residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors. Also, young children and pets should be never be left unattended in a vehicle, with car interiors able to “reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes,” according to the NWS.
Senior citizens can dial 211 to be informed of services available.
High temperatures are expected to top out at 99 in the Coachella Valley on Saturday, while highs in the Riverside metropolitan area will drop to the low- to mid-80s.