The hottest days could be over, but don't set down that glass of ice water just yet.
Slighter cooler, although still very warm, weather is expected to last through the weekend on the Central Coast.
Thursday and Friday had been forecast to be the hottest days in the sizzling weather trend, according to Bonnie Bartling, National Weather Service specialist.
Indeed, Santa Maria hit
99 degrees on Friday, Lompoc reached 96, Cuyama topped out at 92, and Santa Ynez reached well into the triple digits at 107, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures in Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County did not break records Friday, National Weather Service forecasters said, but records are not kept for Santa Ynez.
The hot temperatures are being caused by a "high pressure ridge that's been over the area," Bartling said.
Warm weather was expected to continue through the weekend, Bartling said, followed by a gradual cool-down.
Although temperatures in Santa Maria Friday spiked far above Thursday's record-breaking high of 88 degrees, they did not break the record for August 28 - 103 degrees set in 1962, according to the National Weather Service.
In south San Luis Obispo County, Pismo Beach was a comparatively temperate 74 degrees.
A "red flag warning," which indicates a high fire risk, remains in effect through this evening for the mountains and foothills in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
National Weather Service forecasters cautioned that being outdoors in the heat could be hazardous to one's health, especially for the elderly, children and pets.
High temperatures for today are expected to reach 83 degrees in Santa Maria, 76 in Lompoc and 100 in Santa Ynez.
Joe Sirard, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said temperatures next week will be "probably near normal right along the coast, or along the beaches."
Ocean air will start filtering back on shore, Sirard said.
"We'll have that natural air conditioning start coming back in," he added.
August 29, 2009