Summerlike weather is on the way to Sacramento, with 90-degree heat returning

Summertime weather is on the way to Sacramento, with temperatures expected to reach the 90s this week.

The National Weather Service’s seven-day forecast for Sacramento indicates Wednesday could see a daily high of 90 degrees, and the rest of the week will remain mostly in the high 80s. Don’t expect much cloud cover to keep out the sun, either — this week is expected to be mostly clear.

Despite a somewhat cool weekend in Sacramento, the 90-degree weather is a return to a recent spate of hot weather. A high temperature of 91 at the Sacramento Executive Airport on April 18 broke a 1954 record for that day’s high temperature, according to the weather service. That temperature was 19 degrees off from the average for the time of year.

Since then, however, temperatures have fluctuated, with cooler and warmer periods. After April 18, high temperatures at the airport dropped back down into the 60s for a few days near the end of the month.

The month of May has been similarly unpredictable. So far, Sacramento has had two days of 93-degree weather — May 5 and May 12 — as well as daily highs dipping into the low 70s. The past few days have been unseasonably cool, a welcome departure for Sacramento residents who aren’t looking forward to the summertime swelter.

Preliminary data from the NWS show Saturday’s high was 80 degrees, two degrees lower than the normal 82 degrees. Friday was nice and cool at Sacramento Executive Airport, with a high of 75 degrees, a whopping seven degrees lower than the norm.

Sunday’s expected high in Sacramento was 81 degrees, a significant jump in temperature that reflects “a continued warming trend” predicted by NWS forecasters in a Sunday forecast discussion.

Monday should see another increase in heat, with a high of 88 degrees. The high is expected to be 83 Tuesday before Wednesday’s forecast of 90 degrees. The good news is temperatures probably won’t exceed 90 for now.

Past midweek, Sacramento might see a slight cooldown. Thursday’s high is predicted at 89 degrees, and Friday’s will drop a few degrees lower with an expected 86 degrees. Saturday’s high is forecast for 88 degrees.

However, Northern California temperatures are still expected to be above normal for this time of year. NWS forecasters say that regional “temperatures (will) warm to around 5-10 degrees above average by next Sunday.”

This story was originally published May 23, 2021 at 1:44 PM.