Excessive Heat in Southern Sacramento Valley, California

Triple-digit heat was to blame for Highway 50 eastbound section buckling on Sunday, June 18th near the Jefferson Boulevard exit in West Sacramento. On June 19th Caltrans crews were out again to make repairs as more cracking/buckling closed the number 3 and 4 lanes well into the evening. High temperatures in downtown Sacramento were 106 on the 18th (record), and 107 on the 19th (record).

High pressure ridging brought an unusually long and strong heat wave for the month of June, with a remarkable 24 new record high temperatures and 16 record high minimum temperatures being set in the area. At the peak of the heat wave on the 21st, Redding reached 112, Red Bluff 113, Marysville 112, downtown Sacramento 108 and Stockton 108. A heat related fatality was reported in Sacramento County, two in Glenn County, as well as multiple people hospitalized due to the heat. There were nine cooling centers opened at the peak of the heat event in Sacramento County. Several power outages were reported at a hospital in Sacramento, and one roadway may have had damage due to the heat.