North San Diego County’s late-summer heat wave pushed further into record territory Wednesday, with Escondido reaching 112 degrees and Vista hitting 105 as a stretch of unusually hot weather entered its fifth day.

Both readings broke Sept. 9 records, according to a preliminary National Weather Service report issued at 4:18 p.m. Escondido surpassed its previous mark of 104, set in 2024, while Vista eclipsed its 98-degree record from the same year. Escondido’s climate record dates to 1893 and Vista’s to 1957.

Some relief is approaching, although the heat will not disappear immediately. The Extreme Heat Warning covering San Diego County coastal areas and inland valleys was scheduled to expire at 8 p.m. Wednesday, followed by a Heat Advisory through 8 p.m. Thursday. The Weather Service expects temperatures to begin cooling Thursday and Friday, with the trend spreading farther inland through the weekend.

For inland valleys including San Marcos and Escondido, Thursday highs were expected to remain in the mid-90s to about 104. Coastal areas, including Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas and Vista, were expected to fall into the 80s and lower 90s. A tropical air mass is expected to linger into Friday before drier inland conditions and a returning coastal marine layer bring more noticeable cooling.

The heat has been building since the weekend. Oceanside Airport recorded highs of 85 Saturday, Sept. 5, 89 Sunday, 100 Monday and 95 Tuesday. Monday’s 100 degrees established a Sept. 7 record there, while McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad set records of 99 Monday and 94 Tuesday. (National Weather Service)

Longer-running climate stations at Oceanside Harbor and Vista also produced records. Warm overnight temperatures offered limited relief, with record or record-tying warm minimums reported at both locations during the heat wave. No Sept. 9 record-warm minimum temperatures had been finalized as of Wednesday afternoon.

North County records reported thus far include:

✓ Sept. 6: Oceanside Harbor reached 87, breaking the previous daily high of 85 set in 2020. Its low of 71 tied the record-warm minimum from 1997.

✓ Sept. 7: Oceanside Harbor reached 93, breaking the previous record of 84 from 1958. Its low of 71 tied the record-warm minimum from 2024.

✓ Sept. 7: Vista reached 102, breaking the previous high of 97 from 2011. Its low of 74 broke the previous record-warm minimum of 70 from 2024.

✓ Sept. 7: Oceanside Airport reached 100, breaking its previous record of 94 from 2024.

✓ Sept. 7: McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad reached 99, breaking its previous record of 90 from 2024.

✓ Sept. 8: McClellan-Palomar Airport reached 94, breaking its previous record of 93 from 2022.

✓ Sept. 8: Vista recorded a low of 75, breaking the record-warm minimum of 73 from 2024.

✓ Sept. 9: Vista reached 105, breaking its previous record of 98 from 2024.

✓ Sept. 9: Escondido reached 112, breaking its previous record of 104 from 2024.

Vista Fire Rescue urged residents during the heat warning to drink water throughout the day, limit strenuous activity during the hottest hours and spend time in air-conditioned buildings when possible. The city also reminded residents never to leave children, older adults or pets in parked vehicles and to watch for symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Damaging waves and monsoon rain

At the same time, the coast has been dealing with the effects of a large south swell associated with Hurricane Marie and high astronomical tides. Weather Service forecasts called for San Diego County surf of 4 to 6 feet with 7-foot sets Saturday, 4 to 7 feet Sunday and 3 to 6 feet with 7-foot sets Monday. Tuesday surf was forecast at 3 to 5 feet with sets to 6 before easing to 2 to 4 feet Wednesday.

The rip-current risk, high for much of the period, had dropped to moderate Wednesday.

The Carlsbad State Beach sign. (Carlsbad city photo by Lisa Cornwall)

The waves have also caused damage. California State Parks reported that recent summer swells and high tides eroded “significant sections” of Carlsbad State Beach. The Tamarack day-use parking lot was closed to vehicles, although pedestrian access remained open, and State Parks said it did not know when the lot would reopen.

Farther north in San Clemente, waves washed over railroad tracks Monday night and caused additional erosion and slope damage, prompting a temporary closure of the coastal rail line. The disruption affects Metrolink, Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and freight service. Pacific Surfliner trains are operating as far south as San Juan Capistrano, with a bus bridge between Irvine and Oceanside.

The Orange County Transportation Authority said no reopening timeline had been established.

Thunderstorms also brought localized heavy rain to the North County mountains Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued a Flood Advisory for the Palomar Mountain, Lake Henshaw and Valley Center areas after radar and automated gauges indicated between a half-inch and 1 inch of rain had fallen.

Lighter measurable rainfall had also been recorded earlier in the weekend, including 0.16 inch at Palomar Observatory and 0.14 inch at the Palomar Mountain automated weather station.

Residents seeking relief from the heat can use designated Cool Zones. The county’s Aug. 20 list, supplemented by Vista’s recent city notice, includes these locations within the coverage area:

✓ Del Mar: Del Mar Branch Library, 1309 Camino Del Mar.

✓ Solana Beach: Solana Beach Branch Library, 157 Stevens Ave.

✓ Encinitas/Cardiff: Cardiff-by-the-Sea Branch Library, 2081 Newcastle Ave.; Encinitas Branch Library, 540 Cornish Drive; San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center, 2710 Manchester Ave.

✓ Carlsbad: Carlsbad City Library, 1775 Dove Lane.

✓ Oceanside: Country Club Senior Center, 455 Country Club Lane; El Corazon Senior Center, 3480 Village Commercial Drive; Joe & Mary Mottino YMCA, 4701 Mesa Drive; Civic Center Branch Library, 330 N. Coast Highway; Mission Branch Library, 3861 Mission Ave., B-1.

✓ Vista: Gloria McClellan Senior Center, 1400 Vale Terrace Drive; Vista Library, 700 Eucalyptus Ave.

✓ San Marcos: San Marcos Senior Center, 111 Richmar Ave.; San Marcos Branch Library, 2 Civic Center Drive.

✓ Escondido: East Valley Comm...

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