The mercury will climb throughout the Inland Empire this week, pushing temperatures well above average as a warming trend takes hold, according to the National Weather Service.

The region will be sandwiched between ridges of high pressure — one off the Southern California coast, and another over the Great Basin in Utah — resulting in warm, dry conditions from Wednesday to Sunday, the NWS reported.

“Dry weather with periods of offshore flow will prevail for the next week,” according to an NWS statement. “There will be periods of gusty east to northeast winds along and below … passes and canyons.”

Localized easterly winds will persist into Thursday, but no advisories or warnings have been issued in association with the Santa Ana pattern.

“For the middle and latter part of the week, high pressure will expand across California and strengthen along the coast,” the NWS said. “High temperatures for Thursday and Friday will be well above average, with highs 10 to 15 degrees above average, and 15 to 20 degrees above average in some valley and mountain locations, with temperatures mostly in the 80s.”

Meteorologists said a cooling trend will begin early next week, but there is no rain in the 10-day extended forecast.

From Wednesday to Sunday, highs in the Riverside metropolitan area will generally hover in the mid 80s, with lows around 50 degrees. In the Coachella Valley, highs will top out in the mid to upper 80s, with lows in the low 50s, and in the Temecula Valley, daytime temps will level off in the low 80s, with lows in the upper 40s, according to the Weather Service.

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