Record-breaking heat is here

<p>The heat wave that will grip the Bay Area over the next five days began early Thursday with temperatures at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport at 82 shortly after 7 a.m.</p><p>The temperature is forecast to hit 100, surpassing the record high of 97 that was set in 1970, said Steve Anderson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey. The average high temperature in May is 74 degrees.</p><p>At 2:45 p.m., the temperature was 97 degrees in downtown Santa Rosa.</p><p>The extreme temperatures are being caused by a high-pressure system sitting over California, which also is causing winds from the north and northeast. Those offshore winds are usually warm and get warmer as the air compresses as it flows from higher elevations into lower ones, Anderson said.</p><p>Anderson said the North Bay is under a heat advisory for the hot weather.</p><p>“When temperatures are near-record levels, especially since this event is the first one of the year, our bodies tend to react more severely,” Anderson said. “Whenever it gets this hot, you always want to take it easy when you are outside, drink plenty of water and never leave pets or children in unattended vehicles outside.”</p><p>The weather is expected to stay hot until Sunday, when it will be in the 80s, and be in the 70s on Tuesday, which is normal for this time of year.</p>