Encinitas faces dangerous heat as the National Weather Service's Extreme Heat Warning stretches into its fourth day. The warning runs through 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, with no meaningful relief expected before Wednesday.
The warning, first issued Friday, Oct. 2, covers San Diego County's coast and valleys. As we reported Friday, Encinitas is among the coastal cities specifically named.
Temperatures are running 15 to 25 degrees above seasonal averages west of the mountains, according to KPBS. Santa Ana winds are blocking the Pacific Ocean's normal cooling effect, pushing beach-area highs into the mid-80s to lower 90s. Mesas and higher coastal terrain could reach the mid-90s to around 100 degrees, the National Weather Service said, according to Fox 5 San Diego.
Inland valleys will see the worst of it. Triple-digit heat ranging from 98 to 104 degrees is expected to persist through Wednesday, Oct. 7, before a slow cooling trend begins. Daytime highs should drop back into the upper 80s and low 90s by Friday, Oct. 9, the weather service forecast.
Overnight lows offer little relief. They will stay in the upper 60s to mid-70s.
Fire danger elevated
The heat comes paired with fire risk. Easterly wind gusts between 20 and 35 mph, combined with low humidity, are raising fire danger across the region, the weather service warned. Coastal mountain slopes face the highest risk, with localized gusts reaching 35 to 40 mph.
SDG&E initiated Public Safety Power Shutoffs in high fire-risk communities starting Friday, Oct. 2, with a shutoff window running through Monday, Oct. 5, at 6 p.m., potentially affecting 35,006 customers, NBC San Diego reported. Encinitas was not among the communities listed for shutoffs. SDG&E is also urging all customers to conserve electricity this week to help avoid outages.
Records already falling
The heat wave broke or tied temperature records in five San Diego County communities on Sunday, Oct. 4, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Nearby Oceanside Harbor hit 98 degrees, a record. Vista reached 103, tying its record. Escondido topped out at 105, also tying a record.
National Weather Service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld told the Los Angeles Times on Oct. 1 that the event stood out for its duration: "This is one of the longer-duration ones that I've seen in my time at this office."
Rip currents and safety
The weather service also warned that waves from Hurricane Rachel off Mexico will produce strong rip currents at south- and southwest-facing beaches starting Wednesday, Oct. 7, according to the Union-Tribune.
The County of San Diego advises residents to stay hydrated, wear light clothing, avoid outdoor activity between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and never leave children or pets in parked vehicles. Signs of heat illness include dizziness, nausea, confusion and fainting.
The county has designated 33 branch libraries and community centers as Cool Zones. Residents can find the nearest location at coolzones.org or sign up for emergency alerts at AlertSanDiego.org.
