Central Valley braces for record-breaking heat in March

CENTRAL VALLEY, Calif. (KFSN) -- As a heat wave hits the Southwest, the Central Valley will likely see record-breaking temperatures in March.

"Our all-time record for any given day in the month of March is 91, so we are not just going to break a record. We are going to shatter it many days in a row," says John Abatzoglou, climatologist and researcher at UC Merced.

Local National Weather Service meteorologists and UC Merced researchers say we are more than 10 to 20 degrees above average for this time of year.

Although the Valley is no stranger to heat, Abatzoglou says the early timing and impact of this heat wave are even more unusual.

"Typically, when we break temperature records, we break them by like a degree or two. In this case, in Fresno, we might be breaking a monthly record by two, three or four degrees, and it's even worse in other areas across the southwest," explains Abatzoglou.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service say overnight lows will bring relief from the heat to the Valley.

They encourage people to stay hydrated and safe in the sun.

"Take breaks, don't go into the sunlight as much as you need to. Stay indoors if you can. Stay in air-conditioned buildings. At night, I would recommend opening your windows," urges National Weather Service meteorologist Emily Wilson.

Although there is some relief in sight in the coming days, for now, researchers say the atmosphere is basically stagnant.

"The atmosphere is effectively stuck. What we are looking at is just exceptional. It's just crazy we are getting a really good stress test for summer. It's way too early for most people," mentions Abatzoglou.

Although we are seeing ACCUWEATHER Alert days, the National Weather Service says there are no advisories just yet, and this is thanks to those overnight cool temperatures.

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