This story was updated to reflect the most recent forecast.
The National Weather Service on Saturday issued a heat advisory that will go into effect for the Bay Area starting Monday and lasting through most of the week, with a high of 87 possible by Friday in Richmond.
High temperatures are expected to be in the 80s along the coast and 90 degrees inland, posing a potential health risk to sensitive individuals that will increase as the days pass.
Overnight lows in the upper 50s to low 60s will offer some relief at lower elevations. The NWS reminds residents to hydrate and wear lightweight closing, limit strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day and to bring water to those who are most at risk.
Children and pets should not be left in vehicles, which can become lethally hot in minutes.
High pressure will cut off winds over the coming days, allowing temperatures to rise, said Brayden Murdock, meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office.
Where to stay cool during Richmond heat wave
Fnding shelter from the heat is easier said than done for those without air conditioning.
For the price of a movie ticket, movie theaters can offer a hot weather escape. Here are movie times at the Cinemark Century Hilltop 16.
Some folks like to cool off wading in the waves at Keller Beach at the Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline, but swimmers beware: The water quality sometimes doesn’t meet state health standards.
Many East Bay Regional Parks in west Contra Costa County are well-shaded. Like Miller/Knox, Point Pinole has the advantage of being right on the Bay. Or, the Alvarado park area of Wildcat Canyon offers plenty of shaded trails, a shaded playground and picnic tables and a shallow creek to stroll alongside.
These conditions are unusual in mid-March; spring doesn’t technically start for another week.
“In lots of places, it’s the first time you’re going to see 80s, much less 90s, this time of year,” Murdock said. “It’s going to affect people who are sensitive to heat.”
How to stay cool
An interactive map from the National Weather Service shows the most of the East Bay reaching “moderate” levels for risk of heat-related health impacts by Friday. These conditions mainly affect people who are sensitive to heat or exposed to it for a long period of time.
The NWS recommends staying hydrated, avoiding the sun during the hottest time of the day, and using air conditioning or fans and leaving windows open at night.
Richmond and Contra Costa County have protocols for opening cooling centers on very hot days. It’s unknown whether the upcoming warmth will trigger that.
In shoreline communities not used to hot weather, having consecutive hot days can prove particularly challenging for sensitive populations.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Murdock said.
In fact, community organizations, for example in North Richmond, have been trying to secure grant funding to create “climate resiliency” centers, such as the one at Ryse Center, to provide shelter during inclement weather but one effort was thwarted by the Trump administration. More grant money is now available.
But until there are more designated spaces to go, Murdock’s advice stands.
“Have a plan to get out of the heat,” he advised. But maybe get more creative than a beach day.
Beaches can get overcrowded during hot stretches, which can obstruct water rescues, Murdock said. People also tend to forget that the bay and ocean water remain cold even during these initial warm-weather days: “You can still get cold water shock.”
Richmondside Editor Kari Hulac contributed to this report.
