Monica Woods joined ABC10 in April 2001 as weekend meteorologist. In June 2011, she became ABC10’s Chief Meteorologist.
Summer doesn’t officially arrive until June 20, but temperatures will make it feel like the seasons have already changed. Near-record highs are in the forecast through Saturday.
A typical summer pattern is setting up heading into the first week of June.
A high pressure system will keep temperatures toasty in central California.
A high pressure ridge, which brings sinking and warming air, will be building over the West Coast through the week. It will peak on Saturday. Each day, temperatures will be close to 100 degrees.
Highs in the 100s are not unheard of this time of year, but it is unseasonably warm. Average highs are in the lower 80s with records near 100°F.
The average first 100°F temperature for Sacramento Executive Airport, the official climate data station, is June 11. The earliest occurrence of hitting 100°F happened in 1987 on May 7. In 1998, temperatures didn’t hit 100°F until July 15. That was the latest first 100°F reading on record.
The heat is notable this early in the season, but it's not unheard of for Sacramento to hit 100°F in May.
The average last day in the 100s is September 7. Sometimes 100°F-plus heat ends much earlier though. In 1985, temperatures didn’t hit 100°F after July 24, leading to a nice, cool end to summer. On the flip side, triple-digit heat can last into fall. The latest 100°F reading for Sacramento Executive happened in 1991 on October 10.
This stretch of warm weather this week may be a sign of what is to come this summer. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting an above average temperature outlook for June, July and August across much of the West Coast.
This originally appeared on ABC10 News.
