Another heat wave is expected to grip San Diego County this week, but it will not be as hot or as long-lasting as the record-breaking heat wave last week, according to forecasters.
San Diego's deserts were scheduled to be under an excessive heat warning starting at 10 p.m. Tuesday through 8 p.m. Thursday as temperatures climb to the 115-degree range, NBC 7 Meteorologist Sheena Parveen said.
While the rest of the county was not under any warnings or watches, residents can still expect unseasonably hot temperatures, Parveen said. Tuesday's temperatures were expected to reach 83 degrees near the coast, 89 inland, 94 in the western valleys, 98 near the foothills and 100 in the mountains.
High pressure will remain over the southwestern United States before moving southward into Mexico starting on Friday, forecasters said. This will keep temperatures hot in most areas through Thursday, then highs will gradually fall over the weekend.
The good news, the NWS said, is humidity levels are expected to decrease, leaving behind a dry heat.
The NWS urged residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and check on relatives and neighbors. Also, children, seniors and pets should be never be left unattended in a vehicle, with car interiors able to "reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes," according to the NWS.
To help the public beat the heat, the county is offering nine cooling centers in Alpine, Borrego Springs, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Potrero, Ramona, Santa Ysabel, Spring Valley and Valley Center. Due to the coronavirus, mandatory mask-wearing and social-distancing protocols are enforced in the facilities.
