Stanislaus County, where dozens of residents have sought treatment for heat illness, is getting a break from the worst temperatures before things heat up again later in the week.
The National Weather Service is predicting a high of 106 degrees Monday, which isn’t as bad as a weekend scorcher that featured 108 degrees Sunday in Modesto and 110 on Saturday.
Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services reported that 61 people have gone to Modesto-area hospital emergency departments with symptoms of heat illness since July 2. A county public health spokesperson said Monday all the patients have been discharged. No deaths have been reported since the dangerous heat wave began last week.
“Most of those visits were due to outdoor activities, such as working or physical activity outdoors or drinking alcohol,” county spokeswoman Carissa Lucas said via email.
The influence of San Joaquin-Sacramento River delta breezes is expected to drop the temperature to 101 degrees Tuesday before the mercury rises again to 106 Wednesday, 110 Thursday and 108 Friday. An excessive-heat warning will be in effect from 11 a.m. Wednesday until 8 p.m. Friday.
The daytime high is expected to drop to 104 Saturday but won’t flirt with double digits until Sunday, when it’s forecast to be near 99 degrees. The Modesto Irrigation District says the daytime highs have been no lower than 103 degrees since July 2.
Those who track the weather in Modesto rely on two sources of data: the National Weather Service and the Modesto Irrigation District.
The MID measured 108 degrees Saturday in downtown Modesto, two degrees lower than the Weather Service measured at the Modesto Airport. Saturday’s 108 degrees broke a July 6 record of 103 degrees that stood since 1941, according to MID.
Modesto has experienced four consecutive days of 105 or above since the Fourth of July, per MID data. With Monday’s anticipated high, the city could match an 18-year-old record of five straight days, but won’t break it due to the relative cool-off Tuesday.
The Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services said the risk of fire remains high, and people will be vulnerable to heat-related illness for most of the week. Cooling zones are available to shelter people from extreme temperatures.
County public health officials continue to encourage residents to drink plenty of water, especially when outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Alcohol and sugar-sweetened drinks are not recommended because they can lead to dehydration when it’s hot outside.
The signs of heat exhaustion include excessive sweating, clammy skin, muscle cramps, dizziness, headache and nausea, according to the Weather Service. Heat stroke is a medical emergency with symptoms including throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, 103-degree body temperature, rapid pulse and fainting. Call 911 or take the person to a hospital.
Most Popular
Comments / 0