Weather officials issued an excessive heat warning in anticipation of scorching three-digit temperatures to appear throughout San Diego County desert communities this week.
According to the National Weather Service, the warning is effective from 10 a.m. Thursday until 8 p.m. Sunday, as daytime highs could possibly reach up to 118 degrees in Borrego Springs and other arid eastern regions of the county.
The National Weather Service cautioned that this late spring heat wave will “significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly those working (outside) or participating in outdoor activities”.
High pressure aloft will bring heating for inland areas through Saturday with high temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above average,'' according to the NWS.
“The marine layer and weak coastal eddy will keep coastal areas cooler with night and morning low clouds and fog," said National Weather Service.
The California State Assembly approved Assembly Bill (AB) No. 2243 which would require the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) to submit a rule making proposal to “consider revising the heat illness standard to include an ultrahigh heat standard for employees in outdoor places of employment or employment for heat exceeding 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
The bill would require the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to review the proposed changes and adopt revised standards before July 1, 2024. It would further require reconsideration of regulations relating to the protections regarding acclimation to higher temperatures and training programs for outdoor employees in directly administering first aid.
The National Weather Service advises those in high temperatures to drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening, take shelter in shady areas or air-conditioned rooms when possible, check up on potentially heat-sensitive relatives and neighbors and to never leave young children or pets unattended in parked vehicles.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States. Although it is entirely preventable, heat-related illnesses kill more than 600 people in the United States every year.
To learn more about the signs and symptoms of emergencies like heat exhaustion and heatstroke, visit www.sandiegocounty.gov/hhsa/programs/phs/extreme_heat.
