Temperatures below normal in Sacramento this week. How long will this cool down last?

Sacramentans have been experiencing cooler than usual weather lately — but it won’t be long until temperatures begin to surpass July averages again, according to the National Weather Service.

For early July, the average high in the capital region is 94 degrees, and over the weekend, temperatures were anywhere between 10 to 15 degrees below normal, weather service meteorologist Craig Shoemaker said.

“We are going to be gradually warming up through the rest of the week, so this isn’t going to last,” Shoemaker said. “It’s not going to get excessively hot, and we’re going to be warming back up to normal and slightly above normal levels by the end of the week.”

The weather service predicts highs will remain slightly below normal throughout the week, beginning in the mid 80s Tuesday and inching up to the low 90s by Friday.

On Saturday, temperatures are expected to climb back up to normal for this time of year. Early next week, temperatures are predicted to jump even more, with highs around 98 degrees on Sunday and 99 on Monday.

This recent summer cool down is a result of a Delta breeze coupled with a low pressure system that sits in the Eastern Pacific, the meteorologist said. The hotter it gets, the higher a chance of the Delta breeze passing through the region.

“That is pretty typical,” Shoemaker said. “Usually, the heat builds up for a while, and then we get cooler air that comes in from the Bay Area, and we call that the Delta breeze, and that’s usually why heat waves don’t last too long in the Sacramento area.”

And even though the region is experiencing a slight reprieve from excessive heat, the weather service still advises people to take heat advisory precautions such as staying hydrated and seeking shade when possible.

During the summertime, temperatures peak from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Does this cool down affect fire season?

Fires are usually sparked from dry and hot weather as well as the dryness of surrounding vegetation such as bushes and trees.

The cooler weather, which brings in higher levels of moisture in the air especially at night, helps critical fire weather conditions.

Humidity levels overnight have reached up to 80 to 90% in some areas, according to the weather service.

“It helps, but doesn’t necessarily prevent,” Shoemaker said. “It certainly helps the spread and how large the fires can be.”

On Monday afternoon, a wildfire sparked along the Amador-Calaveras county line, which is around 50 miles southeast of Sacramento. It had burned more than 3,000 acres as of Tuesday morning, according to Cal Fire.

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