Hot weather heats up Redding over Fourth of July weekend. Here's where to chill.

Shasta County heats up this weekend and into next week, but there are plenty of places to keep cool over the Fourth of July holiday.

Lake Shasta is brimming after a wet winter, according to the California Department of Water Resources. It’s open for boating and water sports. But government agencies warn that North State waters are still very cold, and some waterways are moving very fast as hot temperatures melt mountain snow.

Here's what to know about the weather and how to cool off safely.

Here's how hot it will get on Fourth of July

At 104 degrees, Thursday was Redding’s hottest day thus far in 2023; but that designation won't last long, said meteorologist Robert Baruffaldi at the National Weather Service’s Sacramento branch. Friday will warm to 106 degrees, Saturday to 108 and Sunday to 109, he said.

The heat lets up slightly next week, with afternoon highs of 104 degrees on Monday and 101 on Tuesday, Baruffaldi said.

Nighttime temperatures will drop into the mid- to high 70s, he said.

While this weekend is Redding’s hottest so far this year, it’s not the first time temperatures reached triple digits. The mercury hit 101 degrees on June 4 and 100 degrees on June 16.

“It’s going to stay over 100 for a while," Baruffaldi said.

With some fluctuations, the heat is likely here to stay through summer.

After a cooler than average spring, June temperatures were within two degrees of Redding’s historic average through Wednesday, Baruffaldi said. But weather service meteorologists predict slightly higher than average temperatures to hit the Sacramento Valley from July to September.

How to safely cool off at lakes, parks

While Redding and the rest of the Sacramento Valley floor is heating up, places at higher elevations tend to stay at least 10 degrees cooler, the weather service said. These include parts of Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lassen National Forest east of Redding, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park to the northeast and Mt. Shasta to the north.

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After a wet winter and early spring, many North State waterways are at their highest levels in a few years. Lake Shasta is 95% full, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

Most lakes and rivers are open for boating and swimming; but in May and June, government agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, issued warnings about fast-moving and unusually cold water, urging people ― especially those with children ― to check how fast currents are moving before they enter, wear life jackets and not to stay in too long.

Keeping wildfire risk to a minimum

Like past years with heavy rainfall, 2023’s fire season will peak later than usual, the weather service said. Wet starts to the year in 2011, 2017 and 2019 pushed back the beginning of those years’ fire seasons while heavy mountain snowpack melted over summer and vegetation stayed green longer after storing up water in spring, the weather service said at a press meeting on July 29.

People still need to be careful not to spark fires.

As temperatures rise starting this weekend, humidity levels will drop fast so fire danger will go up, Baruffaldi said.

U.S. Forest Service officials posted requests on social media that campers have equipment to extinguish campfires and never leave campfires unattended. Only start campfires where parks permit them, and observe all fire safety rules. If you see a wildfire, call 911, Forest Service officials said.

Places in town to chill

As temperatures rise, heat can impact the health of people, pets and livestock, according to the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency. Staying outdoors too long or in direct sun can cause heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses, the agency cautioned. People should limit their time outdoors to mornings and late evenings.

Air-conditioned urban public places to cool down include the Mt. Shasta Mall, community and senior centers and libraries, according to the agency.

Here are open hours for libraries and the senior center. Note these locations close Tuesday for Fourth of July.

• The Anderson Public Library at 3200 W Center St. is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

• The Burney Public Library at 37116 Main St. is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. While Burney doesn't usually get as hot as the valley, it’s still a public cooling center.

• The Cottonwood Community Library at 3427 Main St. is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

• The Redding Public Library at 1100 Parkview Ave. is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

• For seniors only, the Frontier Senior Center at 2081 Frontier Trail in Anderson is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

For more information on cooling centers and tips on staying healthy during hot weather go to Shasta County Public Health’s website at shastacounty.gov; and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.

Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: 109 degree heat hits Redding over Fourth of July weekend