The hottest weather of the season, so far, took hold of San Diego County just in time for the Fourth of July holiday and won't let up for several days, according to forecasters.
San Diego County Friday was "under a ridge of high pressure that is only going to strengthen, only going to intensify," NBC 7 Meteorologist Francella Perez said in Friday's First Alert Forecast. "And that means, the heat is going to be on."
The first heat wave of summer prompted a heat advisory from 11 a.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Monday for San Diego County mountains and an excessive heat warning for the same time frame for San Diego County deserts, the NWS said.
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Plenty of folks out in Santee on Saturday were taking advantage of the new heat after an unusually cold winter and spring.
People were seen out walking, playing, grilling and fishing at Santee Recreational Lakes on Saturday.
In the deserts, the heat will be grueling. Perez said temperatures are expected in the 110- to 117-degree range through next Tuesday. The coast, on the other hand, will get some relief thanks to the marine layer.
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"Those temperatures are going to be cranking, not so much for the coast -- the onshore flow, the marine layer will keep the temperatures more moderate for the coast -- but inland locations will definitely see those temperatures, not only in the upper 80s [Friday], but in the low 90s from Saturday, Sunday, Monday and even Tuesday."
Along the coast Friday, it was expected to be mostly sunny with high temperatures from 70 to 75 degrees, the NWS said. The western valleys were expected to be mostly sunny with highs from 78 to 83 and near the foothills from 92 to 97. It should be mostly sunny in the mountains with highs from 91 to 101. The deserts were expected to be sunny with highs from 109 to 114.
Extreme heat combined with gusty westerly winds and low humidity could also elevate fire threat for San Diego County over the holiday weekend.
High pressure may weaken early next week, bringing some cooling inland.
