Temperatures in the Coachella Valley might reach 119 Friday and Saturday as sweltering heat is expected throughout the weekend in Riverside County.
High pressure building over the southwestern United States will remain until Sunday, with temperatures expected to peak Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
The agency issued an excessive heat warning that will be in effect until 9 p.m. Saturday in the Riverside metropolitan area, the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning. A heat advisory will also be in effect until 9 p.m. Saturday in the Riverside County mountains.
High temperatures Friday are forecast to reach 119 in the Coachella Valley, 110 in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, 110 in Hemet, 107 in Riverside, 107 in Lake Elsinore, 104 in Temecula and 93 in Idyllwild.
Highs in the Coachella Valley could reach 119 again on Saturday, then drop to 117 on Sunday and 112 on Monday, forecasters said. The mercury in the Riverside metropolitan area is forecast to reach 109 on Saturday before highs drop to 102 on Sunday and 100 on Monday.
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.
Riverside County officials opened 14 cooling centers countywide on June 1 with mandatory mask wearing and social distancing protocols. They are 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.
A full list of the cooling center locations can be found at: www.capriverside.org/Portals/2/PDF/Cool/2020_Cool_Center_Directory_v8.p df?ver=2020-07-23-171401-730*tamp=1595549655159.
High temperatures in the Riverside metropolitan area are expected to return to the low 90s by Wednesday, forecasters said.