Heatwave to hammer San Diego
Soaring temperatures from the desert to near coastal areas have resulted in warnings through next week; the power grid and supplies are stable amid the heatwave
![The National Weather Service of San Diego has issued heat warnings and surf advisories as a heatwave pummels the region and state over the next week. Experts urge caution, hydration and staying indoors when possible. Courtesy image The National Weather Service of San Diego has issued heat warnings and surf advisories as a heatwave pummels the region and state over the next week. Experts urge caution, hydration and staying indoors when possible. Courtesy image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd2b016af-3c15-4887-9541-7f90798c1a25_700x525.png)
REGION — A massive heatwave will pound the state and San Diego County for the next six to seven days, according to meteorologists.
Boiling temperatures are expected for the desert regions, while the mountains in San Diego County are also projected see scorching temperatures over the next week, according to meteorologists Elizabeth Adams of the National Weather Service’s San Diego office and Karlene Chavis of CBS 8. Chavis said the desert region has seen excessive heat spells since spring.
Adams said the cause of the heatwave a ridge of high-pressure is building and moving east from the Pacific Ocean and trapping heat along the West Coast. She said the heatwave extends from the Mexico border into southern Oregon.
She said the coastal regions extending one mile inland will escape most of the heatwave. Everywhere else, Adams said, is in for hotter than normal temperatures.
“North County towards the coast is going to be likely in the mid-80s,” she said of the next several days. “Further inland areas, that’s where the temps will get into the mid-90s. We’re really expecting the heat to ramp up on Friday and Saturday.”
Both warned for those living or traveling to the desert for the holiday weekend of excessive temperatures. Borrego Springs will see a range between 111 to 115 degrees today and 115 to 118 on Thursday and inferno-like temperatures of up to 122 degrees from Friday through Monday.
As for mountain areas such as Julian and Palomar Mountain, highs are expected to be in the upper 90s up to 104 on Friday and Saturday, the meteorologists said.
“It’s in line with the mountains and the desert being hotter than the rest of the county,” Chavis added. “It’s all the positioning of the high-pressure systems. You’re also getting away from the marine layer influences. When you have these high-pressure systems that create a shallow marine layer … you don’t have that (in the mountains or desert) so you have the ground and it heats that quickly.”
Chavis said she expects temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s through Monday and possibly Tuesday for the coastal cities. To the east, the inland cities such as Vista and San Marcos will see temperatures in the 90s over the weekend and in the 80s next week, Adams said. Five miles inland will be much hotter, such as in Vista and San Marcos, where temperatures are likely to reach the upper 80s.
For those going to the beach, Adams said a moderate to high rip current risk is expected at all area beaches from July 4 through the weekend. Chavis said there are also elevated surf conditions between three to five feet with sets up to seven feet.
“A beach hazard statement has been issued by the National Weather Service,” Chavis added. “Lifeguards are going to be busy. It’s not the best time to be out there if you’re not a skilled swimmer. Just use caution.”
Adams said the No. 1 thing for individuals to do is to stay hydrated and to listen to “your body.” She said if someone feels tired or hot, then it’s time to take a break preferably indoors with air conditioning or in the shade. Also, lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothes are also recommended.
![CBS 8 Meteorologist Karlen Chavis’ seven-day forecast from yesterday through Monday shows higher than normal temperatures for San Diego County. Courtesy image CBS 8 Meteorologist Karlen Chavis’ seven-day forecast from yesterday through Monday shows higher than normal temperatures for San Diego County. Courtesy image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa0bac6f7-0df2-407a-b077-fd9885dcb6db_288x289.png)
Also, Chavis said cool zones, if possible, are recommended, along with shutting window blinds to help keep a residence cool. Also, she stressed not to leave kids or pets inside a vehicle as temperatures can reach up to 130 degrees inside a vehicle in just a few minutes.
As for the state, Adams said much of California is under excessive heat warnings and some Northern California areas are under heat advisories.
Heat on the grid
Another challenge with heatwaves is stress on the power grid. Hot and dry conditions and possible high winds can lead to a downed power line, or another component, thus sparking a wildfire, according to Alex Welling, the communications manager for wildfires and operations at San Diego Gas & Electric.
Pacific Gas & Electric, meanwhile, is preparing to intentionally shut off power to 12,000 customers in Northern California if needed, according to a report from SF Gate. The utility company turns off power as a way to help prevent wildfires, the paper reported.
Anne Gonzales, a spokeswoman for California Independent System Operator (CAISO), said PG&E’s possible shutoff is for its distribution level, not the high-voltage power grid.
CAISO is the nonprofit that operates the electrical grid and Gonzales said the grid is currently stable and power supplies are adequate. They will continue to monitor the heat for potential impact on the grid.
![Today’s forecast for the power grid as monitored by the California Independent System Operator. The agency said the power grid is stable and power supplies are adequate to handle this week’s heatwave. Courtesy image Today’s forecast for the power grid as monitored by the California Independent System Operator. The agency said the power grid is stable and power supplies are adequate to handle this week’s heatwave. Courtesy image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feb8a5704-e9f0-4f99-b01c-ead36d4040f6_1314x495.png)
Gonzales said the agency is continuing to closely monitor the heatwave with triple-digit temperatures forecast over the next several days. She said high heat in the interior of the state could set daily temperature records.
Gonzales said Southern California coastal forecasted temperatures are near or slightly above normal and are helping to maintain the reliability on the system. However, while fires are not currently affecting the bulk electricity system, wind direction can change quickly and impact generation and transmission on our system, she said.
“A Restricted Maintenance Operation (RMO) has been issued, effective beginning at midnight Wednesday, July 10 (today) through midnight Wednesday, July 10,” Gonzales said. “When high electricity demand is anticipated, an RMO is issued to caution utilities and transmission operators to avoid taking equipment offline for routine maintenance, assuring that all generators and transmission lines are available to supply higher loads.”
No rotating power outages are planned for the California ISO high-voltage electricity grid. We continue to ask Californians to remain vigilant in case we need to issue a Flex Alert, a call for voluntary electricity conservation during times of stress on the grid.
Welling said SDG&E follows the lead of CAISO regarding alerts to the grid. One of the challenges, though, is the grid is interconnected so if there is an outage or equipment failure in Northern California, the impacts could cascade down to San Diego County, he said.
There have been no red flag warnings, but Welling said the situation can change “on a dime.” However, SDG&e is not planning any power outages, known as public safety power shutoffs, although some areas show high levels of fire risk.
“The message we want to communicate to our customers is always be prepared,” Welling added. “There can be all sorts of circumstances that can lead to unplanned power outages, so just have a plan in place.”
As for public safety power shutoffs, he said the utility is working on hardening (cover conductor, steel poles, etc.) all its assets to combat threats of wildfires and ensure its transmission and distribution lines don’t spark a fire, along with other measures. Until SDG&E, or any other utility achieves a 100% hardening rate with is assets, shutoffs are a last-resort option if the fire risk is too high.
There are many factors for the decision such as a red flag warning, Santa Ana winds, humidity levels, level of moisture in vegetation and what is the assessment from on-the-ground crews, Welling said.
Sign up for CAISO notifications and get conservation tips at FlexAlert.org.