Pet Safety Urged Amid Scorching Heat Tuesday Across Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Triple-digit temperatures were expected to grip the Inland Empire Tuesday, with monsoonal moisture and the potential for thunderstorms in the eastern Coachella Valley and mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

A heat advisory is in effect for most of the region until 8 p.m., based on predictions of afternoon temperatures soaring to 105 degrees in the Riverside metropolitan area, San Bernardino and surrounding locations.

"Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room [and] stay out of the sun," the weather service said. "Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles."

Additionally, the Kennel Club advised that dogs should not be walked on pavement during extreme heat because it can burn their paws.

The best way to tell if a pavement is too hot for your dog to walk on is to place the back of your hand on the pavement for seven seconds. If it’s too painful for your hand, then it’s too painful for your dog’s paws, the Kennel Club advised.

Given the forecast, the pavement was expected to exceed safe temperatures for paws. Instead, walk dogs on cooler grass. If you must walk on pavement, do so in the early morning or late evening after the ground cools.

Heat rules don't just apply to dogs. All pets and livestock should have shelter from the heat and access to plenty of clean, cool water.

The scorching heat arrived at the end of last week and was expected to remain intense until a ridge of high pressure is displaced by a low-pressure trough Wednesday.

"Temperatures Monday are running up to 8 degrees warmer than Sunday," the weather service stated.

Forecasters said moisture pulled in from the south, combined with convective instability, will likely result in another round of scattered thunderstorms, possibly Tuesday afternoon and evening, similar to the middle of last week. Most of the heavy weather will be east of the San Bernardino Mountains and San Gorgonio Pass, meteorologists said.

"While brief heavy downpours could occur, mainly in the mountains, the more likely hazards are lightning and strong gusty winds," according to the weather service.

The daytime mercury was predicted to settle back into the low- to mid-90s after Wednesday in the Riverside metro area, with lows in the upper 60s.

In the Coachella Valley, high temps will hover around 110 going into Wednesday, with slight cooling by the weekend and lows in the upper 70s.

In the Temecula Valley, the highs will peak in the mid-90s until midweek, after which temps will return to seasonal norms in the mid-80s, with lows in the low 60s, according to the Weather Service.

—City News Service contributed to this report.