The Heatwave Could End By Thursday!!!

HEATWAVE #3
Today will mark Day 20 into Heatwave #3. Highs will be close to the upper 90s today; 98-101°. In fact, today and tomorrow we will be close to the upper 90s. An off shore surface low just west of the northern California coastline will bring a slight on shore flow into the region. Enough of a Delta breeze from the San Joaquin valley into the south end of the valley (cooler coastal air rolling into the region) may drop our highs into the upper 90s. Two days in a row of upper 90s (98 or 99 degrees) could end the heatwave. Right now, I have us at 100°. Likely we hit 99 degrees one day and back up to triple digits the next. So... the forecast should hold that heatwave #3 remains the rest of the week. Morning lows have dipped to the low 70s, compared to the low 80s last week.
Heatwave #3 has seen 19 triple digit days (as of this post), 11 heat stress days, 8 days of morning lows at 80-degrees or higher, plus 8 days of 109 degrees or higher. This keeps us at a Category 5 Heatwave. The last time we were at these heights were back in 1933. Today we are now the tenth hottest heatwave in Bakersfield's history. That beats the heatwave set back in 2005, when we peaked at 107. Our current heatwave has topped out at 114 twice. Heatwave #3 started on June 28th. Expect triple digits to remain well into the next fifteen days. Aka... August!
EXCESSIVE HEAT RETURNING
The Excessive Heat Warning we previously had over the last two weeks ended Sunday. However, more excessive heat is set to return Sunday of next week, into the entirety of next week. Highs forecast 107-114 degrees, again. Please, respect the heat. Stay in the shade. Keep hydrated. Wear light and light colored clothing.
SMOKY SKIES
Several wildfires in and around Kern County will keep our skyline very hazy. The Lost Hills Fire near Lost Hills will affect areas of Taft into Bakersfield. The White Fire one hour south of Tehachapi in Twin Lakes should be the biggest impact to the region. It affects areas of the Kern County mountain and desert areas. Finally, the Laura Fire in the Kern River Valley affects that zone into Porterville. Air quality will be in the poor to bad range through Wednesday.
Morning Forecaster Aaron Perlman