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Heat wave to last through the weekend

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Dry offshore winds produced oppressive, record-breaking heat across San Diego County on Friday, sending temperatures into the low 90s along the coast and into the upper 90s and low 100s across many inland valleys and foothills.

“It’s not over,” said James Thomas, a forecaster at the National Weather Service. “It’ll still be very, very warm on Saturday. We won’t begin to really cool off until Monday, and then it will be incremental.”

San Diego experienced once of the hottest Septembers on record, and October is starting out the same way. The temperature soared to 103 in El Cajon, breaking the record for October 9th by five degrees. The previous record was set in 1979. Escondido hit 102, breaking the day’s record by two degrees (1909). And Chula Vista recorded a high of 98, breaking the day’s recorded by one degree. The earlier high was set in 1918. San Diego reached 95 on Friday. That’s 22 degrees above normal, but not a record.

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The most startling reading of the day was recorded farther north in Santa Ana, which hit 106 degrees, breaking the record by four degrees. The earlier record was set in 1906.

Forecasters say the temperature will hit 89 in San Diego on Saturday, and many inland areas will again hit or reach 100 degrees.

The heat has arrived at the same time as the surf is picking up at local beaches. The waves will hit 3’ to 5’ at some south-facing beaches on Saturday and Sunday. The swell also is producing dangerous rip currents. The conditions are worrisome to lifeguards because local beaches are drawing larger than normal crowds due to the heat, and unusually warm ocean temperatures. Sea surface temperatures ranged from 70 to 72 on Friday along the San Diego coastline. The seasonal average is in the 65-66 degree range.

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