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The Hottest Weather So Far this Season Coming

Jun 20, 2011; 12:53 PM ET

I have well documented the abnormally cool weather in May and so far in June in California and other parts of the Great Basin and Southwest. However, the first sizable ridge of the season is building through mid week and is turning up the heat.

The Pacific waters will keep things from getting out of hand along coastal areas but coastal valleys to the Central Valley and all the deserts will see a big warm-up. Here are a couple of examples.

-Fresno, Calif., hottest day before today was 98 but by Wednesday it will be 106.

-Palm Springs warmest so far is 108, and on Wednesday, I expect about 116.

-Phoenix hottest so far has been 110 and it will be around 115 Wednesday and Thursday.

-Salt Lake City will rise into the low 90s on Wednesday, the highest so far has been 87.

-90s in the valleys of southern California and east and north of the San Francisco Bay area will likely see temperatures as warm as the middle and upper 90s Tuesday or Wednesday. It's generally been no higher than the 80s except for a brief hot spell in early May in Southern California.

Of course, with the rise in temperatures will come increased snow melt in the mountains. Rises on all rivers and streams are likely, and flooding is going to occur. If you live near any of these streams and rivers, you need to monitor the latest advisories. If you plan on going to any of these streams and rivers to get some relief from the heat use extreme caution. The water is likely to be not only high but running fast. In addition, it will be very cold for the time of year. While it might feel good briefly to take a dip, the degree of coldness of the water could bring on effects of hypothermia rapidly.

Temperatures by later this week and into the weekend will come down some, especially over the Great Basin and coastal valleys.

The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of AccuWeather, Inc. or AccuWeather.com

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About This Blog

Ken Clark
Ken Clark's Western U.S. weather blog tackles daily weather events with commentary from one of the most experienced and trusted Western U.S. weather experts.

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