California, 2026Heat in California, March 16 to 21, 2026
March 16 to 21, 2026 · NWS MTR · 22 events in 15 counties and zones
An unusually extreme, early-season heat wave impacted central California during the middle of March, setting several monthly heat records across the region. 1 degrees Fahrenheit.
Every event with a place to put it; 22 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
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- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
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- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 22
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.
An unusually extreme, early-season heat wave impacted central California during the middle of March, setting several monthly heat records across the region. Radiosonde observations from Oakland reported a monthly record for highest 850 mb temperature at 23.4 degrees Celsius, or around 74.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Notably, this temperature would also break the monthly record for April, had it occurred during that month. Given the extreme and unusual levels of heat for this time of year, a Heat Advisory was issued from Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 20, throughout the Bay Area and northern Central Coast.
Heat, North Bay Interior Valleys
- When
- March 16, 6:01 AM PST to March 21, 6:00 AM PST
- Where
- North Bay Interior Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 38.362, -122.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Cloverdale station reported a monthly record high of 94 on March 17 and March 21.
Heat, Northern Salinas Valley / Hollister Valley / Carmel Valley
- When
- March 16, 7:31 AM PST to March 20, 7:30 AM PST
- Where
- Northern Salinas Valley / Hollister Valley / Carmel Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 36.423, -121.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Hollister 2 station reported a monthly record high of 94 on three separate observations (March 17, March 18, March 20).
Heat, North Bay Interior Valleys
- When
- March 17, 6:01 AM PST to March 18, 7:00 AM PST
- Where
- North Bay Interior Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 38.362, -122.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Calistoga station reported a monthly record high of 94.
Heat, Santa Cruz Mountains
- When
- March 17, 7:01 AM PST to March 20, 7:00 AM PST
- Where
- Santa Cruz Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 37.230, -122.021 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Ben Lomond station reported a monthly record high of 99 on March 19 and March 21.
Heat, San Francisco Peninsula Coast
- When
- March 17, 1:01 PM PST to March 18, 1:10 PM PST
- Where
- San Francisco Peninsula Coast forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 37.229, -122.183 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Richmond station reported a monthly record high of 88 degrees.
Heat, Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast
- When
- March 17, 4:05 PM PST to March 18, 4:28 PM PST
- Where
- Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 36.240, -121.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Big Sur Station weather station reported a monthly record high of 93 degrees.
Heat, Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose
- When
- March 18, 12:25 AM PST
- Where
- Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A 41-year old man died on the western side of San Jose early on the morning of March 18. The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner's office reported that while the immediate cause was hypertensive cardiovascular disease, environmental heat exposure was a significant factor.
Heat, Mountains of San Benito County and Interior Monterey County Including Pinnacles National Park
- When
- March 18, 8:01 AM PST to March 20, 7:00 AM PST
- Where
- Mountains of San Benito County and Interior Monterey County Including Pinnacles National Park forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 36.423, -121.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Pinnacles National Park station reported a monthly record high of 93 on consecutive days.
Heat, North Bay Interior Valleys
- When
- March 18, 3:01 PM PST to March 19, 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- North Bay Interior Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 38.362, -122.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Santa Rosa downtown station reported a monthly record high of 92 degrees.
Heat, Southern Salinas Valley / Arroyo Seco / Lake San Antonio
- When
- March 18, 3:01 PM PST to March 19, 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- Southern Salinas Valley / Arroyo Seco / Lake San Antonio forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 36.240, -121.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The King City station reported a monthly record high temperature of 100 degrees.
Heat, Northern Monterey Bay
- When
- March 19, 6:01 AM PST to March 20, 6:00 AM PST
- Where
- Northern Monterey Bay forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Watsonville Waterworks station reported a monthly record high of 95.
Heat, North Bay Interior Mountains
- When
- March 19, 4:01 PM PDT to March 20, 4:00 PM PDT
- Where
- North Bay Interior Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 38.516, -122.626 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Angwin Pacific Union College station reported a monthly record high of 87 degrees.
Heat, East Bay Interior Valleys
- When
- March 19, 7:01 PM PST to March 20, 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- East Bay Interior Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 37.787, -121.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Livermore station reported a monthly record high of 91 degrees.
Heat, Eastern Santa Clara Hills
- When
- March 19, 11:01 PM PST to March 20, 11:00 PM PST
- Where
- Eastern Santa Clara Hills forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Mount Hamilton station reported a monthly record high of 81.
Heat, North Bay Interior Valleys
- When
- March 20, 12:00 AM PST to 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- North Bay Interior Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- Official NWS Observations
- Coordinates
- 38.362, -122.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The San Rafael station reported a monthly record high of 92 degrees.
Heat, San Francisco
- When
- March 20, 12:00 AM PST to 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- San Francisco forecast zone
- Reported by
- Official NWS Observations
- Coordinates
- 37.778, -122.442 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The downtown San Francisco station reported a monthly record high of 90 degrees.
Heat, San Francisco Bay Shoreline
- When
- March 20, 12:00 AM PST to 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- San Francisco Bay Shoreline forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 37.561, -121.980 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The San Francisco International Airport station reported a monthly record high of 89 degrees.
Heat, San Francisco Bay Shoreline
- When
- March 20, 12:00 AM PST to 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- San Francisco Bay Shoreline forecast zone
- Reported by
- Official NWS Observations
- Coordinates
- 37.561, -121.980 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Redwood City station reported a monthly record high of 94 degrees.
Heat, San Francisco Bay Shoreline
- When
- March 20, 12:00 AM PST to 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- San Francisco Bay Shoreline forecast zone
- Reported by
- Official NWS Observations
- Coordinates
- 37.561, -121.980 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Oakland Museum station reported a monthly record high of 91 degrees.
Heat, Northern Salinas Valley / Hollister Valley / Carmel Valley
- When
- March 20, 12:00 AM PST to 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- Northern Salinas Valley / Hollister Valley / Carmel Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 36.423, -121.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Salinas Airport station reported a monthly record high of 94 degrees.
Heat, East Bay Hills
- When
- March 20, 7:01 AM PST to March 21, 7:00 AM PST
- Where
- East Bay Hills forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 37.787, -121.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Mount Diablo Junction station reported a monthly record high of 86.
Heat, North Bay Interior Valleys
- When
- March 20, 3:01 PM PST to March 21, 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- North Bay Interior Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 38.362, -122.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Napa State Hospital station reported a monthly high temperature of 92 degrees.
- 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.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Georgia, March 16, 2026$179,000 · EF0 · 105 events
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Maryland, March 16, 2026$515,000 · EF0 · 51 events
- Damaging Winds in North Carolina, March 16, 20261 injured · $225,000 · 51 kt wind · 42 events
- Damaging Winds in Virginia, March 16, 2026$198,000 · 61 kt wind · 44 events
- Damaging Winds in Florida, March 16, 2026$384,000 · 59 kt wind · 30 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Florida, March 16, 2026$520,000 · 1 in hail · 20 events
- Damaging Winds in Virginia, March 16, 2026$72,000 · 59 kt wind · 28 events
- Damaging Winds and Strong Wind in West Virginia, March 16, 2026$43,000 · 50 kt wind · 37 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in New York, March 16 to 17, 2026$140,000 · 50 kt wind · 9 events
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Delaware, March 16, 20261 injured · EF1 · 29 events
- Damaging Winds in New Jersey, March 16, 202658 kt wind · 61 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in New York, March 16 to 17, 2026$50,000 · 50 kt wind · 25 events
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: 1315635, 1315629, 1316155, 1315631, 1315614, 1315630, 1325073, 1315628, 1315612, 1315627, 1315637, 1316149, 1315615, 1315636, 1315613, 1315616, 1315617, 1315618, 1315619, 1315620, 1316153, 1315626.