SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 7 (NNN-XINHUA) — The heatwave over the weekend could push the temperature in the San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (about 46.1 degrees Celsius) as the hottest day came on Sunday, while increasing fire risks, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts.
Temperatures will reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit (about 43.3 degrees Celsius) in interior locations and up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit in some parts of the Diablo Range, Central Valley and eastern Bay Area, according to the forecasts.
In Gilroy, the forecast for Sunday is 112 degrees Fahrenheit (about 44.4 degrees Celsius). A relatively balmy 102 degrees Fahrenheit (about 38.9 degrees Celsius) in San Jose will still break the record of 100 degrees Fahrenheit set in 1923. Oakland expects to hit 94 degrees Fahrenheit (about 34.4 degrees Celsius), and San Francisco 90 degrees Fahrenheit (about 32.2 degrees Celsius).
The NWS has also issued a “fire weather watch” for the East Bay and North Bay from Monday night through Wednesday morning, according to a report by the San Jose-based newspaper The Mercury News.
It was the first such alert this summer in the Bay Area based on winds, the report said.
A more severe “red flag warning” was issued on Aug 15 before the lightning storms that set off dozens of fires around Northern California.
Pacific Gas & Electric is considering shutting off power in some areas Tuesday and Wednesday to reduce the risk of fire caused by the utility equipment.
“If high temperatures, extreme dryness and record-high winds threaten the electric system, it may be necessary for us to turn off electricity in the interest of safety. This is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS),” the company said. — NNN-XINHUA
