Riverside and San Bernardino are looking at a sunny, dry Tuesday with a high near 98°F and a light west wind at 0 to 15 mph, gusting to 25 mph — pleasant enough for an early tee time or yard work, but plan to be done outside well before mid-afternoon. The National Weather Service in San Diego says high pressure aloft is warming the Inland Empire fast, and today is really just the calm before Wednesday’s spike.
Today’s Setup
Expect clear skies and low humidity through the day, with the overnight low settling around 67°F under mostly clear skies and southwest wind near 0 to 10 mph. There’s essentially no rain in the picture — just a 3 to 5 percent chance — so this is a dry heat day, not a muggy one.
Best Window To Be Outside
Morning is the move. If you’re headed to Fairmount Park, Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park, or teeing off at a local course, aim to be out the door by 7 or 8 a.m. and wrapped up before noon, since temperatures climb quickly once the sun gets high. A soft cooler backpack packed with ice water is worth having on the course or trail today, and if you’d rather beat the heat entirely, a putting mat indoor session or dialing in yardages with a golf GPS watch keeps the golf habit going without the midday sun. A golf bag stand lightweight setup also makes it easier to grab a quick nine before the heat builds.
Heat Risk Builds Into Wednesday
The NWS forecast discussion is clear: highs jump another 5 degrees Wednesday to near 103°F, with lows warming too, and an Extreme Heat Warning is in place for the mountains and valleys — that includes the Inland Empire — Wednesday and Thursday, alongside a Heat Advisory for coastal areas. Warm overnight lows are adding to the risk, so hydrate well today and limit strenuous outdoor activity Wednesday afternoon, especially for kids, older neighbors, and pets.
What To Wear Or Bring
Light, breathable clothing, sunscreen, and a hat are musts, along with plenty of water if you’re outside for any stretch. If you’re watching for backyard visitors, it’s also a good stretch for quiet birdwatching with binoculars for bird watching during the cooler morning hours before the heat pushes wildlife into the shade.
Dinner Idea Tonight
With clear skies and calm evening wind, tonight is perfect grilling weather — fire up the grill for burgers, steaks, or grilled chicken with corn on the cob while temperatures ease into the 80s after sunset. An instant-read meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness, and a grill brush and scraper set keeps grates ready to go. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
Wednesday tops out near 103°F under sunny skies with that Extreme Heat Warning in effect, and Thursday stays hot before southeasterly monsoonal moisture returns late in the week, bringing a chance of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms mostly over the mountains and deserts. Highs are expected to cool back toward average by the weekend.
