Sacramento Valley temperatures may hit 90 way earlier than usual as drought intensifies

In the latest sign that California remains gripped by drought and unseasonably high temperatures, forecasters warned that the Sacramento Valley could see temperatures as high as 90 degrees this week.

The National Weather Service said that the high in the northern Sacramento Valley city of Red Bluff could hit 90 degrees Wednesday — at least a month earlier than normal.

Historically, the first 90-degree day is in early to mid-May. There’s a 20% to 30% chance that Red Bluff could hit that mark midweek, the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office forecast Sunday on Twitter.

“If Red Bluff hits 90 (degrees) on (Wednesday), it would tie the record for earliest 90 (degrees) day set in 1960,” the weather service said.

The high temperature Wednesday for Sacramento, which is traditionally cooler than Red Bluff, is forecast to hit 86 degrees.

After three straight dry winters, California’s Sierra snowpack is well below average, and most of the state’s major reservoirs are in bad shape. On average, these critical sources of California’s drinking and irrigation water are holding 30% less water than usual for this time of year.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has so far resisted ordering mandatory water cutbacks for urban users, relying instead on a 15% voluntary call for conservation.

But for the most part, Californians aren’t responding. Officials in his administration have hinted that mandatory cuts could be coming this year. Newsom’s predecessor ordered a 25% cut in urban use during the drought in 2015.

Last week, the Newsom administration announced it would be cutting water deliveries from the State Water Project, the elaborate network of reservoirs and canals that distributes water all over California.

The SWP’s largest customer is the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves 19 million urban residents, including those in Los Angeles and San Diego.