Heat Wave to Bake Poway this Weekend

With a full schedule of Poway Days activities planned this weekend, many people will be spending time outside at or on Midland Road at Sunday’s street festival.

Packing sunscreen and plenty of water is recommended, as hot, dry weather is expected all over the county beginning Friday. The National Weather Service said temperatures could be 15 to 20 degrees higher than average in coastal and valley areas Friday and especially Saturday, when no marine layer whatsoever is expected.

Temperatures in the 80s are expected at the beaches, up to 98 degrees a few miles inland, up to 104 degrees in the valleys and up to 106 degrees in the deserts. Overnight temperatures should drop back into the high 60s and 70s, according to NWS forecasters.

With humidity levels relatively low, the heat index that gauges how hot it really feels will not reach critical values, according to the NWS. But the conditions will create a heightened risk of fire.

“There will be an elevated wildfire risk over the foothills and adjacent valleys in San Diego County,” where the vegetation is dry “and local gusts of 25 to 35 miles per hour from the east are expected, mainly during the mid to late morning,” according to an NWS advisory.

The NWS advised those planning to be outdoors to stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day.

“Cooling will begin on Sunday and continue through early next week as high pressure aloft weakens and onshore flow increases,” the advisory said.

The National Weather Service forecast for Poway:

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 100. East wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday night: Clear, with a low around 70. East wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 101. East wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Saturday night: Clear, with a low around 66. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the evening.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 94. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the morning.

Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64.