The heat and smog are bad enough today that weather and air quality officials urged people to drink plenty of water and make arrangements for keeping loved ones cool and healthy.
Never under any circumstances leave young children and pets in vehicles during hot or warm weather, the National Weather Service said.
The high in San Ramon today is expected to be 97, but a cooling trend is predicted to begin after nightfall and continue through Sunday, the National Weather Service said. Tuesday night's low was expected to be 62.
Highs in San Ramon were expected to be 90 degrees on Wednesday and 84 degrees on Thursday, with Friday through Sunday's highs leveling off in at 80 degrees.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued its first "Spare the Air" alert of the season for Tuesday. People were asked to carpool and use mass transit, avoid heavy exercise and make arrangements the very young, the elderly and the ill.
For more details about that alert, click here.
Pacific Gas & Electric declared Tuesday and Wednesday "SmartDays," which means customers are urged to avoid using electricity between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to help avoid area-wide outages. Business customers face peak pricing on SmartDays.
PG&E also warns water sport enthusiasts to watch for swift and cold currents in rivers and streams as the ice pack begins melting faster.
PG&E provides lists of places people can go to cool off. Those most encouraged to take advantage of a cooling center are:
• Senior citizens
• People with a medical condition
• People with a disability
• Infants and young children
The nearest official cooling center is here in town:
9300 Alcosta Blvd.San Ramon, CA(925) 973-3250Open: 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.But there are plenty of places around town with air conditioning. Please tell us about your favorite San Ramon Valley spots in the comments section below.
The National Weather Service said its heat advisory would be in effect from noon to 8 p.m. today. It offers the following advice, particularly for the very young, the elderly and the ill:
- Drink plenty of water
- Find a cooler location for the day if you don't have air conditioning
- Ask a friend or relative to check on you frequently
- Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing
- Wear a hat to shield yourself from the sun
- Never leave young children and pets in vehicles under any circumstances during hot or warm weather
