It’s hot, there’s no doubt about it.
Mid-day temperatures for Hollister reached a scorching 97
degrees Monday, according to the National Weather Service out of
Monterey.
It’s hot, there’s no doubt about it.
Mid-day temperatures for Hollister reached a scorching 97 degrees Monday, according to the National Weather Service out of Monterey.
The heat wave over the past few days has been caused by a high pressure ridge that causes the air to come off the land instead of the ocean – increasing temperatures, said Diana Henderson, a forecaster for the weather service.
“The natural air conditioner off the coast is cut off with a high pressure effect,” she said. “The off-shore flow acts more like a heater.”
Temperatures began rising on Saturday, which saw a high of 89 degrees. Sunday topped out at 92 degrees, according to the weather service.
There is relief from the heat on the way, Henderson said. The high-pressure bubble the state is under should eventually move back down in the next few days, Henderson said.
Temperatures should start dropping by tomorrow, and by the weekend should be around the lower to mid-80s.
“It probably won’t feel that much cooler, but it will definitely be 10 degrees less than it is right now,” Henderson said.
Whether temperatures will stay hot after the weekend and into May and the upcoming summer months is anyone’s guess, she said.
“No rain,” she said. “And I can guarantee no snow.”
It is unclear if the hot weather is a record. The Weather Service is unable to give exact historical temperatures for Hollister because it hasn’t been collecting weather information for long enough, but they did have data for nearby Gilroy, Henderson said.
The record high in Gilroy for April 26 was 91 degrees, set in 2001. Hollister, which is usually cooler than Gilroy, surpassed that by six degrees.
Regardless of cooling temperatures, Californians have apparently turned on their air conditioners during the heat. Temperatures ranging from 15 to 20 percent above normal for this time of year have caused a spike in power usage across the state, according to Lorie O’Donley, public information officer for the California Independent System Operator.
Power reserves are fine for now, but if an unseasonably warm spring continues into the torrid summer months, an increase in electrical use could prompt some power trouble down the road, O’Donley said.
“If the hot weather continues, expect some emergency situation days,” said Lorie O’Donley, public information officer for the California ISO. “There shouldn’t be any blackouts, but there may be some days where we’re calling for conservation because the operating margins are rather thin.”
The operation margin, which is an emergency cushion during the summer when generators are being used at a high rate, are slim right now because of increased growth throughout the state, causing more electricity to be used, O’Donley said.
“There has been a 4 percent growth rate in the state over the last few months, along with more building being done, particularly in the middle of the valley,” she said.
The ISO recorded a 9,000 megawatt jump (a megawatt is electrical usage in 750 homes) from last week when the weather was relatively cool to yesterday, said Gregg Fishman, public information officer for the ISO.
The current megawatt demand is 38,000, which isn’t considered high if it’s the middle of summer, Fishman said.
“But for not even being May, it’s pretty incredible,” he said.
As long as the heat persists, health problems related to the sweltering temps can arise if someone is not paying attention. Those most vulnerable are young children and the elderly, said Dr. Giuseppi Slater, director of the emergency department at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital.
“It’s common sense stuff,” Slater said. “Don’t leave kids or pets in the car… and elderly people, too. People don’t realize they’re just as vulnerable as little kids.”
Drinking lots of fluids, avoiding exposure and maintaining a cool head will keep you healthy in the heat, Slater said.
“Just put some water on your head,” he said. “It’s the best way to lose the heat.”
