It may not be summer yet, but it could feel like it next week, with above-average temperatures predicted across much of California.
A high-pressure system is moving across the Utah, Oregon and Nevada region and is expected to reach inland areas of California, according to the National Weather Service.
A strong onshore flow will keep temperatures relatively cooler, around the 70s and low 80s, in the Los Angeles Basin and coastal communities, but it could reach the high 90s to around 100 degrees in desert areas by next week, said National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford.
Palmdale and Lancaster are expected to see 98- and 99-degree temperatures on Wednesday, with a 5 to 10% chance of it reaching 103 and 104 degrees, respectively, Wofford said. The normal temperature for those cities this time of year is around 86 degrees.
“It’s not totally unprecedented,” said NWS meteorologist Ryan Kittell. “We’ve had temperatures like this before.”
There is also a heightened risk for grass fires in desert areas during the hotter weather, Kittell said, especially as finer fuels like grasses and plants dry out.
“They’re definitely receptive to burning,” he added. “Most of the forest areas with shrubs and trees are still moist, though, from over the wintertime.”
The Climate Prediction Center projects above-average temperatures between June 3 and 9. For the first week of June, San Francisco and Los Angeles are expected to be in the mid-60s and mid-70s, while it could reach almost 90 degrees in Bakersfield.
The agency also predicts a “moderate” chance, meaning a 40-60% chance, for excessive heat in portions of Northern and Southern California between June 5 and 11. There is a 20-40% chance for excessive heat in more inland regions of the state, as well as parts of Nevada, Oregon and Washington.