Another day of triple-digit temperatures is on tap for most parts of Riverside County Sunday as a National Weather Service heat advisory remains in effect.
The advisory will continue until at least 8 p.m. Thursday, and includes the cities of Corona, Moreno Valley, Riverside and surrounding Inland Empire communities.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District also issued an air quality alert that will be in effect through to 7 p.m. Tuesday throughout all of Riverside County due to high levels of smog.
Highs in the Riverside metropolitan area Saturday reached 101 degrees, and were expected to range from 95 to 100 on Sunday, with lows generally in the upper 60s.
A strong ridge of high pressure backing into the Great Basin of Utah and Nevada from the east is influencing weather patterns. However, it’s somewhat counterbalanced by low-pressure troughs spinning off of Tropical Storm Alberto that made landfall in northeastern Mexico this week, according to the weather service.
The moisture will produce cloud cover across desert areas, keeping temps in check and possibly fueling scattered thunderstorms in the eastern Coachella Valley, as well as the Palo Verde Valley, through the weekend, meteorologists said.
The mercury peaked at 111 in the Palm Springs area Saturday and forecasters predicted the same for Sunday, with lows in the mid-80s.
The Temecula Valley reached 96 on Saturday and was predicted to reach 93 on Sunday, dropping into the mid 60s at night.
Temperatures will drop about 8-10 degrees by mid-week, with mostly clear skies across the region, forecasters said.