Sacramento may hit 90 degrees this weekend. Be careful on the water, officials say
This weekend will likely be Northern California’s hottest yet in 2021, with temperatures forecast to approach 90 degrees Sunday in Sacramento.
Highs near the capital are expected to warm from about 85 degrees Saturday to 89 by Sunday and Monday, before cooling back to the low 80s Tuesday. Gusts up to 20 mph are expected Saturday evening, but winds are otherwise forecast to be calm.
The all-time records for Sacramento on April 17 and April 18 are 90 and 89 degrees, respectively, according to the NWS. Normal for this time of year is about 73 degrees.
Weather and emergency officials have reminders for when it gets this warm this early in the year: Waterways are still cold.
“It may be tempting to cool off near the river as temperatures warm this weekend, but area waterways are running very cold due to mountain snow melt,” the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office tweeted Thursday. “Practice cold water safety by always wearing a life vest & keeping an eye on children!”
At Folsom Lake, a popular local destination for outdoor recreation when things start to warm up, a 5-mph speed limit remains in place across the entire lake, putting a damper on any potential jet ski plans.
The speed limit is in place because of a very low water level at the lake amid near-drought conditions. The level was reported at 397 feet Thursday, compared to 430 feet the same date in 2020 and 450 feet in 2019, according to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation data.
The South Lake Tahoe area is forecast to reach the low 60s by Sunday, with sunny and clear skies, according to the NWS.
