Heat wave heading to Sonoma County

An early-autumn heat wave will descend upon the North Bay on Thursday, blanketing the region with temperatures into the high 90s, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters expect the dry, hot weather to stick through Saturday before moderating somewhat early Sunday morning, a result of easterly breezes or offshore flows that suppress cooler ocean winds, which normally moderate temperatures this time of year.

“We’re looking at widespread mid- to upper 90s,” said Ben Benjamin, a forecaster with the weather service. “We won’t start to see numbers going down until Saturday and then only marginally.”

The warming trend is expected to begin Thursday with temperatures soaring past 90 degrees. Friday is shaping up as the hottest day of the week, with marks that could reach as high as 99 degrees in Cloverdale, 96 in Petaluma and 91 or higher in Santa Rosa.

Despite the prolonged drought, however, a fire warning has not been issued as of yet, in part due to recent rains.

“The fuels are still wet from last week’s rains,” Benjamin said. “At this point we’re not issuing a warning, but that might change depending on how long this pattern lasts.”

Hot weather cycles that last a few days are not uncommon this time of year, he said, and it’s unlikely the heat will run into next week. Cooler weather will probably return on Sunday with temperatures dipping back into the mid-80s, though any relief from the drought doesn’t appear to be coming in the near term.

“There’s no rain for the next seven to 10 days,” he said. “There’s nothing ahead right now but dry weather, unfortunately.”