Berkeley and Oakland are expected to experience a mini heat wave Wednesday through Saturday, but thanks to the light ocean breeze, they will be spared from even hotter temps further inland.
Berkeley and Oakland are forecast to see four consecutive days of temperatures in the 80s — with highs of 85 in Berkeley and 87 in Oakland on Thursday — before cooling down to the mid-70s on Sunday. East Bay inland temperatures are forecast to climb to the mid-90s.
Residents are advised to increase their water intake, take cooling breaks when spending extended time outdoors and check in with sensitive populations — particularly young children and elderly and immunocompromised people. Avoid walking pets in the afternoon and early evening, when sidewalks are very hot.
Are you ready for hotter weather? Looks like temperatures will be climbing by mid to late week. Even coastal spots should be warm, so take note and practice heat safety. Stay hydrated and take cooling breaks if you have outdoor plans! #cawx pic.twitter.com/7u7449Dp38
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) October 2, 2023
The National Weather Service said the heat wave is driven by a high ridge of pressure expanding in the atmosphere and pushing warm air downward.
“It’s not unheard of in October to get warm temperatures,” said NWS Bay Area meteorologist Alexis Clouser. The record high temperature from the NWS official monitoring station in downtown Oakland for Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 was 92 degrees in 2014 and 96 in 1987, respectively. In short: The agency isn’t expecting any heat records to be shattered this week.
Relatively cool evenings will offer a reprieve from the heat; forecasts this week show overnight lows in the low 60s and high 50s. A red flag warning, issued when fire risk is high, is not currently in place, as conditions are not expected to be excessively dry or windy.
Featured image: Clara Mokri
