A strong ridge of high pressure cranked up temperatures over the region. Daily high temperatures were 15 to 20 degrees above average on the 19th and 20th.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS SGX wrote it up.
A strong ridge of high pressure cranked up temperatures over the region. Daily high temperatures were 15 to 20 degrees above average on the 19th and 20th.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS San Diego, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 19, 12:55 PM PST, 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service San Diego CA
155 PM PDT SUN JUN 19 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
A high pressure ridge will strengthen through Monday, producing
very hot weather today through Tuesday. High temperatures will be
well above normal, likely breaking several records, with Monday
being the hottest day. Some mid and upper level moisture will
produce numerous high clouds Tuesday. This, in addition to a coastal
eddy, could bring some cooling Tuesday along with a return of
night and morning coastal low clouds and fog. Warmer than normal
conditions for the coast and valleys, and hot conditions in the
deserts, will continue through the end of the work-week as the
ridge lingers over the region.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
Afternoon visible satellite indicates mostly sunny skies except
for some cloud buildups near Big Bear and scattered clouds over
the High Desert. Water vapor satellite imagery shows a ridge
building near New Mexico and expanding west into Southern
California. The 12Z Miramar sounding shows about 4-6 degrees of
warming between the surface and 750 mb compared to yesterday
morning, so the warmer air mass produced by the building upper
level ridge is evident. Models show 500 mb heights of 595-596 DM
reaching into our region this afternoon. Due to all of this, it is
much hotter today across the region, with temperatures 5-15
degrees higher than 24 hours ago. As of 1 pm, widespread 100+
degree temperatures are being reported across inland areas, 115+
in the lower deserts, with mid 90s near the coast and 70s/80s at
the beaches. See CLIMATE section below for records that have been
broken so far today.
Monday looks like it will be even hotter, with 500 mb heights
reaching 597 DM over us (which would be near record-breaking for
June), and 600 DM over the four corners where the core of the high
will be. Models continue to show 850 mb temperatures of 32-33 deg
C over the deserts and near 31 deg C at the coast. GFS MOS
guidance seems to have the best handle on temperatures,
considering how anomalously strong this ridge will be. It
continues to show highs potentially reaching 122 in Palm Springs,
110 in Ontario, and now up to 110 in Ramona. Given this, and how
today's temperatures are higher than the majority of model
guidance showed, have bumped highs for Monday up 3-6 degrees
across a majority of the forecast area. Right now, the forecast
shows highs reaching 85-90 at the coast, 95-106 a few miles
inland, 102-112 for the San Diego county valleys, 98-108 for
inland Orange County, 100-108 for the mountain slopes below 6000
feet, 106-115 in the Inland Empire, 90s at mountain resort levels,
105-113 in the High Deserts, and 117-124 in the lower deserts.
It's possible these temperatures may need to be adjusted upward
even more. This will result in numerous temperature records being
broken or tied on Sunday and especially Monday. See the CLIMATE
section below for more details. The Heat Advisory for the coastal
areas goes through Monday.
Should not be quite as hot on Tuesday as the models continue to
show a coastal eddy developing Monday night and continuing through
the day Tuesday. This should bring some cooling to the coast and
valleys. Another factor that will likely produce lower
temperatures on Tuesday is mid and high clouds associated with an
easterly wave which is expected to move over the region. Even
though the ridge weakens only slightly that day, the cloud cover
should reduce temperatures in the mountains and deserts by a few
degrees. Regardless, it will still be quite hot. The coastal eddy
may also bring a return of marine layer low clouds and fog to the
coast as early as Monday night. The majority of moisture
associated with the wave is above 500 mb, with a dry layer below
that level. Elevated instability looks weak at the moment, so
it would likely just produce virga and maybe a few sprinkles. The
Excessive Heat Warning for the valleys, inland Orange County and
the Santa Ana Mountains/Foothills goes through Tuesday.
The ridge will weaken a bit further on Wednesday, producing a bit
more cooling. However, temperatures will still be above normal,
especially in the deserts where it will still be pretty hot. 594
DM 500 mb heights hang around Thursday and Friday as well, so
temperatures well above normal should continue. There's the
possibility that the Excessive Heat Warning for the deserts, which
currently ends Wednesday evening, may need to be extended a day or
two longer. Even by next weekend, the ridge will still be
dominating across the south and southwest U.S., continuing the
warm/hot weather. A shallow marine layer should produce night and
morning marine layer clouds/fog along the coast and western
valleys Wednesday through next weekend, with subtle day-to-day
variations.
&&
.AVIATION...
192015Z...SCT/BKN mid-level clouds this afternoon over the high
mountain peaks. Temperatures of 115-120 F this afternoon in portions
of the Coachella Valley and Low Desert could make take-off more
difficult for heavy aircraft. Mostly P6SM vis through Mon aftn.
Slightly higher high temperatures again Mon afternoon.
&&
.MARINE...
115 PM...NW wind gusts to 20 kt are possible at times over the outer
waters through Monday. Otherwise, no hazardous marine weather is
expected through Thursday.
&&
.CLIMATE...
Many high temperature records will likely be broken or tied through
Monday with some record high minimum temperature records broken or
tied as well.
So far Today...
High as Record Record
of 1 PM Current Record Broken? Tied?
San Diego 86 90 in 1957
Vista 91 95 in 2008
Chula Vista 90 88 in 1957 YES
Escondido 100 102 in 1929
El Cajon 104 94 in 2001 YES
Ramona 105 102 in 2008 YES
Alpine 105 103 in 1973 YES
Big Bear Lake 85 87 in 1985
Campo 105 104 in 1989 YES
Palm Springs 116 116 in 2008 YES
Thermal 116 118 in 2008
Based on the current forecast...here are some of the
records that could be tied or broken on Monday...
For Monday...
Forecast Current Record
Newport Beach 85 82 in 1929
San Diego 90 90 in 1973
Chula Vista 97 85 in 2008**
Lake Elsinore 110 110 in 2008
Escondido 109 104 in 1973*
El Cajon 109 94 in 2007**
Ramona 110 106 in 2008**
Alpine 107 107 in 1973
Idyllwild 96 95 in 2001
Palomar Mountain 96 91 in 1970
Campo 107 105 in 2008*
Palm Springs 122 118 in 1929*
Indio 119 116 in 1929
Thermal 122 118 in 2008*
Borrego Springs 119 116 in 2008
* - Ties all-time record for June
** - Breaks all-time record for June
For reference, the all-time record highs for June at
certain locations are as follows:
San Diego 101 (set in 1979)
Chula Vista 92 (set in 1990)
Lake Elsinore 114 (set in 1917)
Escondido 109 (set in 1896)
El Cajon 106 (set in 1990)
Ramona 108 (set in 1981)
Alpine 109 (set in 1976)
Idyllwild 99 (set in 2013)
Campo 107 (set in 1994)
Palm Springs 122 (set in 2013)
Thermal 122 (set in 2013)
Borrego Springs 122 (set in 1990)
&&
.SKYWARN...
Skywarn activation will not be needed today.
&&
.SGX Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
CA...Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM PDT Wednesday for Apple and
Lucerne Valleys-Coachella Valley-Riverside County Mountains-
San Bernardino County Mountains-San Diego County Deserts-
San Diego County Mountains-San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning.
Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM PDT Tuesday for Orange County
Inland Areas-San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-
The Inland Empire-San Diego County Valleys-Santa Ana
Mountains and Foothills.
Heat Advisory until 8 PM PDT Monday for Orange County Coastal
Areas-San Diego County Coastal Areas.
PZ...None.
&&
PUBLIC/CLIMATE...Harrison
AVIATION/MARINE...JJTThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heat. Local standard time, as filed.
Three hikers were airlifted from 3 Sisters Falls Trail near Julian due to heat related illness.
Two hikers rescued from Bump and Grind Trail, after suffering from heat related illnesses.
The Palm Springs ASOS reported a high temperature of 122 degrees, one shy of the all time record.
Borrego Springs State Park reached 122 degrees, tying the all time record for the site.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in California, June 2016
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 644636, 644658, 644652, 644653.