Heat in California, May 13 to 15, 2022

Name: Heat in California, May 13 to 15, 2022
Start: 2022-05-13T00:00
End: 2022-05-15T23:59
Location: California

May 13 to 15, 2022 · NWS SGX · 8 events in 7 counties and zones

A strong upper level ridge moved into the Southwestern United States on May 13th, causing temperatures to soar above seasonal normals through the 15th before gradually falling back towards seasonal average.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS SGX wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

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 May 12, 7:38 PM PST, 4 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 12, 7:38 PM PST, 4 hours 22 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Diego CA
838 PM PDT Thu May 12 2022

.SYNOPSIS...
High pressure will expand over the Southwest, leading to a warmer
weather pattern into the weekend. Above average temperatures and
mostly clear skies can be expected. Cooler weather will come into
the area by early next week with an increase in night and morning
low clouds near the coast as well as windier conditions across the
mountains and deserts.

&&

.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...

Update:

Highs today across our service area ranged from 61 degrees at
Wrightwood, Baldwin Lake, and Big Bear City to 90 degrees at
Anaheim.

A tranquil night will prevail and no changes were needed to the
forecast this evening.

Previous Discussion:

.SHORT TERM...(Today through Saturday)...
A 590 mb area of high pressure centered off of the west coast of
Mexico has provided a warmer and drier day today. This system will
expand northward over the desert southwest Friday into Saturday,
continuing the mostly clear skies and warm weather. Most areas
will peak in the heat by Saturday, where high temperatures will
be 5 to 15 degrees above average. NBM/MOS guidance depicts inland
location reaching the low to mid 90s with high temperatures in the
lower deserts near 105 degrees. Light offshore flow can be
expected mornings, becoming onshore during the afternoons. We may
start to see low clouds and fog forming offshore and near the
coast by Saturday morning, per latest WRF guidance.

&&

.LONG TERM...(Sunday through Wednesday)...
A longwave through over the NE Pacific will slightly deepen and
the ridge will weaken, leading to an increase of onshore flow,
breezy west winds, and slightly cooler temperatures by Sunday
into next week. The deserts will cool at a slower pace than other
areas, with temperatures still sticking close to 100 degrees in
Palm Springs, while areas west of the mountains will generally be
in the 70s and 80s for much of the period. WRF depicts higher
humidity levels near the coast, which would indicate low clouds
and fog for most nights and mornings during the week. NBM depicts
westerly winds strengthening with the pattern, with gusts mainly
25 to 35 MPH each afternoon and evening across mountain and desert
regions. The long range forecast continues to feature more dry
weather.

&&

.AVIATION...
130330Z...Mostly clear skies with unrestricted vis will continue
through Fri evening.

&&

.MARINE...
No marine weather hazards are expected through Tuesday, except for a
chance that wind gusts could exceed 20 knots near San Clemente
Island Monday afternoon and evening.

&&

.SKYWARN...
Skywarn activation is not requested. However weather spotters are
encouraged to report significant weather conditions.

&&

.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...NONE.
PZ...NONE.
&&

PUBLIC...Gregoria (Update)/APR (Previous Discussion)
AVIATION/MARINE...Maxwell

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Heat, Orange County Inland

When: May 13, 12:00 AM PST to May 15, 11:59 PM PST
Where: Orange County Inland forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 33.677, -117.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Temperatures soared well above seasonal normals starting May 13th and lasting through the 15th. Yorba Linda reached a high of 94 degrees on the 13th while John Wayne International Airport reached 86 degrees. The hottest temperatures occurred on the 14th, when Yorba Linda recorded a high of 95 degrees, while John Wayne International recorded a high of 87 degrees. Temperatures were a bit lower on the 15th, when Yorba Linda topped out at 86 degrees and John Wayne International reached 77 degrees.

Heat, San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire

When: May 13, 12:00 AM PST to May 15, 11:59 PM PST
Where: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Temperatures soared well above seasonal normals starting May 13th and lasting through the 15th. Many locations in the Inland Empire reached the middle to upper 90s on the 13th, when Chino Airport hit 97 degrees, Riverside Airport (RAL) reached 95 degrees, and San Bernardino International Airport reached 95 degrees. Several locations reached the upper 90s to just over 100 degrees on the 14th. Chino reached 101 degrees, Riverside Airport reached 98 degrees, and San Bernardino International Airport reached 99 degrees. Slightly cooler temperatures were observed on the 15th, with all three of the aforementioned locations reaching 91 degrees.

Heat, San Diego County Valleys

When: May 13, 12:00 AM PST to May 15, 11:59 PM PST
Where: San Diego County Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Temperatures soared well above seasonal normals starting May 13th and lasting through the 15th. High temperatures topped out in the middle 80s to lower 90s on the 13th, when the Ramona Airport reached 92 degrees and Gillespie Field reached 90 degrees. Temperatures reached the upper 80s to middle 90s across many inland valley areas on the 14th. The Ramona Airport reached 96 degrees, while Gillespie Field reached 93 degrees. Slightly cooler temperatures were observed on the 15th, with Ramona reaching 91 degrees and Gillespie Field reaching 84 degrees.

Heat, Apple and Lucerne Valleys

When: May 13, 12:00 AM PST to May 15, 11:59 PM PST
Where: Apple and Lucerne Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Temperatures soared well above seasonal normals starting May 13th and lasting through the 15th. On the 13th, Hesperia reached a high temperature of 85 degrees while Apple Valley topped out at 87 degrees. The hottest temperatures occurred on the 14th, when Hesperia reached 92 degrees while Apple Valley topped out near 94 degrees. Slightly cooler temperatures were observed on the 15th, with Hesperia reaching 86 degrees and Apple Valley reaching 90 degrees.

Heat, San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire

When: May 13, 12:00 AM PST to May 15, 11:59 PM PST
Where: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Temperatures soared well above seasonal normals starting May 13th and lasting through the 15th. Palm Springs reached 99 degrees on the 13th, 107 degrees on the 14th and 108 degrees on the 15th. Thermal reached 99 degrees on the 13th, 106 degrees on the 14th and 107 degrees on the 15th.

Heat, San Diego County Deserts

When: May 13, 12:00 AM PST to May 15, 11:59 PM PST
Where: San Diego County Deserts forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Temperatures soared well above seasonal normals starting May 13th and lasting through the 15th. Ocotillo Wells reached 100 degrees on the 13th, 107 degrees on the 14th and 112 degrees on the 15th.

Heat, San Diego County Mountains

When: May 13, 12:00 AM PST to May 15, 11:59 PM PST
Where: San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Temperatures soared well above seasonal normals starting May 13th and lasting through the 15th. Julian reached 81 degrees on the 13th, 86 degrees on the 14th and 81 degrees on the 15th.

Heat, Riverside County Mountains

When: May 13, 12:00 AM PST to May 15, 11:59 PM PST
Where: Riverside County Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Temperatures soared well above seasonal normals starting May 13th and lasting through the 15th. On the 13th, El Cariso reached 88 degrees while Anza reached 87 degrees. The hottest temperatures occurred on the 14th, when El Cariso reached 93 degrees while Anza reached 90 degrees. Cooler temperatures were observed on the 15th, when El Cariso reached 89 degrees and Anza reached 86 degrees.

What these are

Heat: Heat below excessive heat criteria that still caused deaths, injuries or significant impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in California, May 2022

Sources

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: 1030168, 1030170, 1030171, 1030173, 1030174, 1030175, 1030177, 1030178.