Redding is kicking off the first week of autumn with possible triple-digit temperatures in a rare, but not unheard of, late September heat wave.
Afternoon heat could soar as high as 103 degrees in parts of Redding on Tuesday and Friday, according to AccuWeather forecasts, and daily highs hover in the 90s for the rest of the week.
While Redding sometimes gets triple digit heat at the beginning of September, 103 degrees would approach all-time records, according to National Weather Service data.
Redding is having a hot September in part because summer weather came late this year. We’re paying now for its cooler than average June, said meteorologist Sara Purdue with the National Weather Service’s Sacramento branch.
“I don’t know about 103,” Purdue said of AccuWeather’s forecast, but there’s a good chance Redding will reach triple digits this week.
The heat wave doesn’t just belong to Redding. That high-pressure system is sitting on most of Northern California, prompting the weather service to issue moderate heat warnings.
“There’s a pretty widespread moderate heat risk starting Tuesday,” Purdue said, so behave like you would in summer and stay out of the sun, drink liquids and avoid going out at the hottest times of the day.
Heat can further dry out already dry grasses and other vegetation, so be extra careful not to spark a fire, the weather service cautioned.
Night temperatures this week will drop into the 60s, giving people a little break to cool off, according to weather forecasts.
More good news: The heat wave won’t last long, Purdue said.
Redding’s average temperature on the first day of autumn
Temperatures soared into the 90s on Monday, the autumn equinox and first official day of fall. That’s at the high end of Redding’s historic average for Sept. 22, which are 57 to 91 degrees, according to weather service data.
September is a historically fickle month that often starts out hot and ends cooler.
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Redding’s hottest first day of fall on record
Redding had its hottest start to autumn on Sept. 22, 2003, and again on that date in 2009. On both those days the mercury soared to 105 degrees, according to weather service data.
The lowest temperature recorded on Sept. 22 in Redding was 47 degrees. That happened in 1923 and 1982.
How many triple digit days Redding had in September so far
As of Monday, Sept. 22, Redding had five days in September when the afternoon hit 100 degrees or more.
Only one of those days, Sept. 18, came the second half of the month. The other four 100-or-more-degree days were at the beginning of the month. While September is usually cooler, its normal to have hotter days early in the month, according to weather service data.
When will Redding cool off?
Redding is slowly transitioning to fall weather, Purdue said, so expect a warm start to October.
Cooler weather could be on the way as early as next week. While still hotter than usual for the time of year, daytime temperatures in Redding won’t go above the 80s, she said.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica on Record Searchlight Facebook groups Get Out! Nor Cal , Today in Shasta County and Shaping Redding’s Future. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding starts fall with 100-degree weather. Will it break autumn heat records?
Reporting by Jessica Skropanic, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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