A high-pressure system over Nevada brought record and near-record high temperatures to parts of the San Francisco Bay Area Wednesday, National Weather Service officials said.
High temperatures were experienced in the North Bay valleys, coast and mountains, the San Francisco shoreline and Peninsula coast, in Monterey Bay and Big Sur, as well as the East Bay valleys and hills, Santa Cruz mountains and Santa Clara valley, including San Jose.
Temperatures were expected in the 80s near the coast and 90s inland, weather service officials said. Cooler temperatures are forecast for Thursday.
"It's only going to be one day," forecaster Steve Anderson said. "There'll be a handful of places out there that will see record-breaking temperatures."
In Oakland, the temperature was expected to reach 92 degrees, which would break a record of 86 set on April 6, 1989. In Livermore, the temperature was to reach 90 degrees, one degree higher than the record set in 1939.
The temperature at the San Francisco International Airport was anticipated to tie the record of 89 degrees set in 1989 while Mountain View and Gilroy were slated to hit 92 degrees.
At the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, turltes and Sequoia, a bald eagle, were sprayed down and ferrets cooled off with a bottle of frozen water Wednesday.
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"We keep an eye on the animals and make sure they're comfortable," said museum director John Aikin.
Meanwhile, people on paddle boards, boogie boards and beach cruisers flocked to Ocean Beach.
"It’s a day you have to be outside. Period. End of story," Art Franks said.
Surfer Scott Muller agreed. He had enjoyed the off-shore winds and small waves, saying, "It's been good."
However, the oppressive heat made manual labor an uncomfortable experience.
Construction worker Trino Jimenez admitted that the weather forecast nearly prompted him to call in sick.
It’s "too hot to be working like this," he said, noting that the only way to cope is by drinking plenty of water.
And for others, including Kyle Raccio of San Francisco, staying comfortable required some exploring.
"You have to hunt out places that have [air conditioning,] such as coffee shops," he said.
Anderson said people should look after the elderly and those without air conditioning. Also, residents should be particularly careful about leaving small children and pets in vehicles where the temperature can quickly rise to dangerous or deadly levels, he said.
