Midsummer’s Heat Expected to Persist

Sweltering heat more typical of midsummer than early fall has San Diego in its grasp, creating unhealthy air in parts of the county and a high demand for electricity.

A slight cooling trend today will vacate San Diego as quickly as it came, leaving the county to bake--or bask--in 90-degree-plus temperatures this weekend. The National Weather Service said today’s respite from the heat will be minimal.

“We’ll have minor cooling today and then minor warming so I guess it’s an even trade,” said Wilbur Shigehara, senior meteorologist for the National Weather Service. “By Saturday, we’ll be back in the kettle again.”

These broiling temperatures are expected to continue through the middle of next week, Shigehara said.

The temperature soared to 102 in Escondido and at Gillespie Field in El Cajon before noon Thursday, Shigehara said. The high at Lindbergh Field was 87, not a record-breaker, but easily 10 degrees above the seasonal norm, he said.

Elsewhere in San Diego County, highs Thursday reached 107 in Borrego, 100 in Santee, 99 in Poway, 98 in Fallbrook, 97 in Campo, 96 in Ramona, 93 in Chula Vista, 95 in Lemon Grove, 89 in Julian, 88 in Del Mar, 85 in Cuyamaca, 84 in Imperial Beach, 79 in Mt. Laguna and 75 in Oceanside.

“Going by my recollection, these are the hottest temperatures so far this year,” Shigehara said. “This is as bad as 1983 and ’84 when we had two of the hottest summers on record.”

Nevertheless, the heat wave has produced no records so far. The record high for Sept. 24 at Lindbergh Field is 99 degrees, set in 1978, Shigehara said.

While many were trying to keep their cool, area lifeguards were kept busy with unseasonably large crowds. Del Mar lifeguard Grant Larson said about 8,700 people flocked to his beach Thursday, and Wednesday’s crowd exceeded 10,000.

“That’s a good crowd for this time of year, especially on a weekday,” Larson said. “Three thousand is our norm.”

San Diego lifeguards, operating with a reduced off-season staff, shuttled between Mission Beach and south Pacific Beach monitoring the 10,000-plus crowd that showed up Thursday for the sea breezes and a refreshing dip in the 66-degree water.

The county Air Pollution Control District reported that Thursday’s air quality was good to moderate around the county and is expected to remain at that level today. However, on Wednesday, several areas met the criteria for unhealthy air, and smog advisories were issued for downtown San Diego, Chula Vista, Kearny Mesa and Alpine.

Energy consumption this week reached its third-highest level in history, said Bernie Alfonso, manager of power control for San Diego Gas & Electric Co. On Wednesday, customers used 32,047 megawatts and on Thursday the energy load peaked at 31,033 megawatts, he said.

On Aug. 17, a record 33,335 megawatts were used. With this recent heat wave and more people using air conditioning, energy consumption is running about 700 megawatts higher than normal for this time of year, Alfonso said.

Beach highs today will be between 68 and 73, notching up to between 70 and 76 this weekend. Surf will be at 2 to 4 feet and the ocean temperature will be 65.

Coastal highs today will range from 78 to 86 and between 80 and 90 on Saturday and Sunday, Shigehara said. Lows will be between 63 and 69 tonight and Saturday.

Inland temperatures today will range from 88 to 98, but will easily pass the 100-degree mark Saturday and Sunday, Shigehara said. Overnight lows will be between 60 and 65.

Mountain highs today will be 75 to 85 and creep into the upper 80s over the weekend, Shigehara said. Nightly lows will range from the upper 50s to the mid-60s.

The desert will remain consistent today through Sunday with daytime temperatures nearing 108, Shigehara said. Overnight lows will range from 70 to 80.

Promised showers by Tropical Storm Seymour fizzled out Thursday as high-level winds “chased the moisture away,” Shigehara said.