Excessive Heat Watch issued for parts of Solano County
The advisory blankets large parts of the region, starting Friday morning, as triple-digit temperatures settle in.
(Graphic by Solano NewsNet)
The National Weather Service office in Sacramento has issued an Excessive Heat Watch for parts of Solano County, starting early Friday morning.
The watch, which could be upgraded to a warning later this week, comes as forecasters expect triple-digit temperatures to settle in throughout the region, with the hottest weather likely to be experienced over the weekend and into the Independence Day holiday.
As of Tuesday evening, the watch area covered large parts of northern Solano County north of Fairfield between the Napa and Yolo county lines. It includes all of Vacaville, Dixon and rural areas nearby. All of neighboring Yolo County and Sacramento County are covered by the watch area as well.
Solano County south of Fairfield, including Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia and Rio Vista, are not covered by the watch for the moment, though hotter-than-usual weather is expected there, too.
A high pressure system is expected to move in through the region starting on Thursday, driving temperatures into the mid- to upper-90s, forecasters with the National Weather Service said. It will park itself on top of Northern California for several days, causing temperatures to climb to as high as 105 degrees in some places.
Forecasters said the Excessive Heat Watch was issued because of “high confidence of the hottest temperatures observed so far this year” and the holiday weekend, when most people travel or participate in outdoor activities.
Unnecessary travel is discouraged this year, and weather experts are warning residents to take extra precaution if they plan to be outdoors. Those who plan to be outdoors for some or all of the weekend should drink plenty of fluids, use sunscreen and seek shade when possible.
Dog owners are encouraged to walk their pets during the early morning hours before asphalt and concrete has an opportunity to heat up, or in the late evening hours once surfaces have cooled. Walking dogs during the middle of a heat wave can scorch paws and cause other types of internal and external injuries, including dehydration. Pets should never be left in cars, even with the windows “cracked” and the air conditioning on.
Locally, Vacaville is expected to be the hottest city in Solano County during the heat wave, with temperatures climbing up to 106 degrees on Saturday and 103 degrees on Sunday, according to AccuWeather. Dixon is next in line, with forecasters expecting a high of 105 degrees on Saturday and 102 degrees on Sunday. The coastal communities of Benicia and Vallejo will offer only some relief those days, with temperatures in the mid-90s during the weekend.
