A withering blast of summer heat pushed the temperature in
Hollister to 102 degrees Thursday, just shy of the record high of
104 set in 1973.
A withering blast of summer heat pushed the temperature in Hollister to 102 degrees Thursday, just shy of the record high of 104 set in 1973.
Meteorologist Rebecca Waddington with the National Weather Service said the triple-digit temperatures were the result of warm inland winds blowing west across the state.
“That, and an area of really high pressure should keep temperatures high through (today),” Waddington said.
Temperatures will begin cooling down a bit today, reaching the high 90s, and returning to normal on Saturday and Sunday as a low pressure system is expected to move back over the area, pushing the high pressure ridge further east and allowing the cooler off shore air to dominate, Waddington said.
“Unbelievable,” said Nancy Glazer as she left a convenience store with a six-pack of soda to watch the Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo Parade. “It’s too darn hot and nasty. We have a run of this every year, but still, I hate it.”
Thursday’s summer blast set record temperatures across the Bay Area, including San Jose, which reached 102 degrees that tied the June 26 record set in 1993.
Also, records were set in Monterey, which hit 95, and San Francisco, which registered 97, breaking the previous mark of 89 set 30 years ago.
While most residents were curtailing their activities try to stay cool in the higher-than-normal temperatures, the heat had Mac McFarland, owner of McFarland Heating and Air Conditioning, and his employees working at a fevered pitch.
“It’s been a very busy day,” McFarland said. “We’re backed up for more than a week with orders.”
McFarland and his crew of repair and installation technicians were not only scrambling to keep up with the demands in Hollister but were also answering calls from neighboring communities like Gilroy, which tied a 1995 record for the date at 105 degrees, and Morgan Hill which hit a high of 104 degrees.
However, McFarland said the sudden surge in calls for service was nothing new.
“This is one of our prime times of the year,” McFarland said.
He said a number of people tend to wait until the last minute before calling for service.
“The same thing happens in winter and it’s partly human nature,” McFarland said. “I’ve done it myself once or twice.”
While many people are looking to McFarland for help staying cool, a number of other residents made their way to local air-conditioned food stores like Nob Hill, Safeway and Albertson’s.
“Yes, sales of ice and water were up a little bit,” Nob Hill Manager Randy Upchurch said. “We’ve also sold more ice cream.”
Customers were also tailoring their shopping habits to avoid the height of the heat.
“You are getting a lot of people who are coming in a little earlier in the day to stay out of the heat,” Upchurch said.
Unlike the days of rolling blackouts, Thursday’s heat only posed a minor strain on local power usage, Pacific Gas and Electric spokesman Jeff Smith said.
“When there’s hot weather like this, a lot of people turn their air conditioning to the lowest possible setting,” Smith said.
The extra use of power by thousands of residents at once can lead to large power drains and possible lapses in power.
“Our systems are maintaining well so far,” Smith said. “People can help by setting their air conditioners to 78 or higher, and by waiting until after 8 p.m. before using their washing machines or other major appliances.”
