BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Widespread 100s will grip the region today with an Excessive Heat Warning in the Kern Desert from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. Valley air quality is much worse, jumping to the unhealthy for sensitive groups range, with some smoke from fires burning to the north getting dragged into the area. So stay inside if you can today as we jump to a high of 104 in Bakersfield this afternoon, 105 in Lake Isabella, and 111 in Ridgecrest. Even the south mountains can't escape the heat, with a high of 98 in Tehachapi and 96 in Frazier Park. While these aren't record-breaking temperatures for Kern County, we could break some records down near the California/Arizona state line.
But this is the peak of the heat, as a dry trough sweeps over Northern California tomorrow will drag cleaner, cooler ocean air onshore. That will work to clear out today's bad air quality and take temperatures back down to average. That means a drop to 99 in Bakersfield and Lake Isabella Thursday, 91 in Tehachapi and 90 in Frazier Park, though the 100s will continue in the Kern Desert. Though it will be breezy tomorrow, we don't look to have winds faster than 45 mph so a Wind Advisory isn't expected.
That westerly flow continues Friday, though a bit weaker, to keep temperatures leveled off near average. So it will be hot and sunny, but seasonal heading into the weekend.
We're then calmer and quiet for the weekend ahead with sunshine and heat, though a trough over the Pacific Northwest Sunday into Monday next week will work to keep temperatures from getting too high into those hundreds.
Unfortunately, with all these changes in the forecast, there is no rain in the foreseeable future.
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Chief Meteorologist Elaina Rusk
Meteorologist Brandon Michaels
Kylie Walker
