With the return of scorching heat this weekend, here are some safety tips to keep in mind during hot weather. If you’re going to be outdoors, avoid doing so during the hottest part of the day (between noon and 6 pm). Wear a protective hat and light colored, loose-fitting clothing. Stay hydrated and slather on the sunscreen (SPF 15 or greater). Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are common heat related illnesses, especially if you’re dehydrated. Elderly people and young children are the most sensitive to extreme heat. Under no circumstances should children and pets be left in an enclosed automobile. In as little as fifteen minutes, temperatures inside a car with the windows down can climb as high as 140 degrees.

Venturing into a river during hot weather can seem like a tempting way to keep cool, but rivers carry hidden dangers. The water is cold and underlying currents are swift. Brief exposure to the cold water of a river can lead to hypothermia and loss of dexterity. Swift currents can quickly exhaust even an experienced swimmer and carry them into rocks, trees, and other vegetation within the river channel. So play it smart and avoid going into a river. You could drown or become the victim of a water rescue!

A northward influx of tropical moisture (associated with the remnants of Hurricane Elida) will bring clouds, higher humidity and isolated thunderstorms to central California by Thursday. Although some sprinkles and isolated showers may be accompanied by some thunder and lightning in the San Joaquin Valley, and the Kern County desert, the best chance of thunderstorms with measurable rain will be in the mountains from late tonight through Friday. Cloudier skies Thursday could temporarily break the spell of triple digit heat in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and the Kern County desert. Sunny skies and hotter weather will return to the lower elevations by the weekend.

An Excessive Heat Watch is in effect for the San Joaquin Valley, West Side Hills, and Sierra Nevada foothills from 1 PM PDT Friday afternoon until 9 PM PDT Sunday evening. An Excessive Heat Watch means that a prolonged period of dangerously hot temperatures is expected. Heat related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke will be possible. Drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun, and remain in an air-conditioned room.