The interior Bay Area and Central Coast are under an excessive heat warning from Saturday morning to Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service.
Highs of up to 110 degrees are expected in inland areas including Santa Rosa, Concord, Livermore and Gilroy. Coastal regions and areas around the Bay’s shore, like Oakland, will be cooler, with highs in the low to mid 80s.
The state’s Heat Ready CA campaign issued three priority tips for those in affected areas:
1) Stay cool: Avoid being outside in the direct heat for a long time. Try to stay in air-conditioned spaces, at home with the air conditioning set between 75-80 degrees, or at a local library, shopping mall, or community center. If staying home, keep blinds closed and wear loose, light-colored, lightweight clothing.
2) Stay hydrated: Sip water all day and consider supplementing with sports drinks. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
3) Look after each other: Check in on friends and family, especially older adults.
More extreme heat guidance, including a statewide list of cooling centers, can be found at heatreadyca.com.
“I believe this will be one of the stronger heat events that we’ve had this summer,” said Dial Hoang, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
Hoang said this heat wave is concerning because people’s bodies are likely not acclimated to the high temperatures, especially coming out of a long period of cooler-than-usual weather.
The excessive heat warning—the highest-level heat advisory from the weather service—means that dangerously hot temperatures could cause major health impacts like heat stroke or exhaustion.
Those in hot areas should watch for symptoms like dehydration, muscle cramps, weakness, nausea and dizziness. A big concern is when one’s internal core temperature rises to a fever, which can impact organs like the brain, said Dr. Tomas Aragon, director of the California Department of Public Health and the state’s public health officer.
Certain groups are at higher risk for health impacts.
“Some vulnerable populations like children, pregnant or elderly people, cannot sweat or when they do sweat, they cannot cool down their bodies as effectively,” Hoang said.
Other groups at higher risk for heat-related health impacts include people on certain medications, people living in poverty, people spending a long time outdoors for work or play, people who are unhoused or have inconsistent housing, and people who have no air conditioning or access to public cooling centers, according to Aragon.
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