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An unseasonally strong heat wave fueled wildfires and strained the power grid across Southern California on Monday along with breaking or tying temperature records in eight San Diego County communities.

The withering heat arrived on the first day of summer and pushed the thermometer to 122 degrees in Ocotillo Wells near Borrego Springs and 101 on Santa Catalina Island off Los Angeles County.

The 122-degree reading for Ocotillo Wells came from a backup station and is not considered the National Weather Service’s official high for the area. But if the reading is accurate, it would match the highest temperature ever recorded in San Diego County. Borrego Springs is the official record holder at 122 on June 25, 1990.


The heat arose from a massive high pressure system that extended from the plains of Texas to the waters far west of California.

“The past two years were the warmest on record in California but this is still unusual for June,” said Alex Tardy, a forecaster at the National Weather Service. “It only happens about once every 10 years.

“We usually don’t get heat like this until August or September. And it comes when we’re in a drought and the moisture in vegetation is much drier than it normally is.”

Temperatures can vary by five degrees or more in towns or cities. One sensor put Ramona at 110 on Monday. The weather service’s official record says Ramona was 109, which broke the record for June 20th by 3 degrees. The earlier record was set in 2008.


Escondido hit 106, two degrees higher than the record set in 1973; Alpine hit 107, tying a record set in 1973; El Cajon reached 107, breaking the record of 94, set in 2007; Chula Vista hit 91, breaking the record of 85 set in 2008; Palomar Mountain hit 96, four degrees higher than the record set in 2015; Campo reached 110, five degrees higher than the record set in 2008.

Borrego Springs hit at least 116, two years higher than the record set in 2008. There was a problem with the official gauge, however, and the weather service has the number in review.

Palm Springs topped out at 122, four degrees higher than the record set in 1929.