October Heat Wave Prompts Excessive Heat Warning in Riverside County

Triple-digit temperatures in Riverside County this weekend have prompted the National Weather Service to issue an excessive heat warning that is effective until at least 8 p.m. Monday.

Saturday highs reached 97 degrees in the downtown Riverside area, 100 in the Temecula Valley and 115 in Palm Springs. The extreme heat was expected to continue in the county through at least Monday, with overnight lows in the upper 60s.

A cooling center for people and their pets was established in the Salvador J. Lara Casa Blanca Library located at 2985 Madison St. The cooling center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More information is available at riversideca.gov/library/ .

Information on cooling centers across Riverside County is available at capriverside.org/cool-centers .

Forecasters predict slightly cooler temperatures on Tuesday, with the Riverside metropolitan area reaching 95 degrees, the Temecula Valley reaching 92 degrees and the Coachella Valley reaching 105.

Temperatures are expected to continue dropping by a few degrees each day until Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Friday's highs are expected to reach 87 in the Riverside metropolitan area, 84 in the Temecula Valley and the low 100s in the Coachella Valley.

Evening lows were predicted to remain in the 60s all week in the Riverside metropolitan and Temecula Valley areas while the Coachella Valley was expected to have evening lows in the 70s.