Triple digits hit Merced; muggy heat coming

Merced residents flocked to city pools Thursday as temperatures inched into the triple digits, likely giving way to another triple-digit day Friday.

Meghan Olmos was one of many who took her three children to the pool at McNamara Community Park on Thursday. She was with her sister-in-law, Rhandi Cardenas. The two women inflated floaties for Olmos’ three children: Nathan, 5; Elijah, 4; and Ariel, 2, who wore a Little Mermaid swimsuit.

Cardenas said she saw that the pool was open on Facebook. “We definitely wanted to take advantage of that, especially if it’s going to be hot like these days,” she said.

Thursday’s high flirted with the record high of 102 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

In the past, Cardenas said, an average summer day meant running through the sprinklers or swimming in kiddie pools for the three youngsters. But, because of the drought, the women brought the children to the pool in an effort to save water.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Diana Cortes held her 3-year-old brother, Jose, in the shallow end of the pool. Cortes kept her other siblings – Amanda, 9, and Arnulfo, 12 – nearby. It was the first time this summer the Cortes siblings visited the pool. But, Cortes said, it won’t be the last.

Friday will be another hot day. The high is expected to climb to 103 as a ridge of high pressure over the Valley strengthens, said forecaster Kevin Durfee.

Beginning Saturday, temperatures will dip to the mid-90s, but monsoon cloud cover from Arizona and Mexico will blow in – making it feel hot and muggy, Durfee said. Saturday’s high could reach 97, Sunday could hit 92 and Monday will inch back up to 97, according to forecasts.

The humidity will make it feel as though temperatures are higher than they are, Durfee said. These temperatures are higher than usual for late June, he said.

“Once it gets that hot, it’s just hot,” he said.

The humidity will create about a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms in the mountains beginning Saturday, which brings the chance of lightning striking up wildfires. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms moving down to the Valley floor early next week, Durfee said.

“Once the monsoon moisture gets into California, it will be hard to get rid of,” he said.

Temperatures will remain in the mid-90s until the middle of the week. Wednesday is expected to hit 98, and Thursday is forecast at 96.

The heat, however, isn’t quite hot enough for the city or county to open cooling centers.

The cooling center in Merced, housed at the Merced Civic Center on West 18th Street, only opens when temperatures are at 103 or higher for three consecutive days, said Jeremy Rahn, a battalion chief for the Merced County Office of Emergency Services.

This story was originally published June 25, 2015 at 7:19 PM with the headline "Triple digits hit Merced; muggy heat coming."