Record high temperatures arriving in Modesto area. Just how hot will it get?
A hot spring and summer may be on the way if the upcoming week’s National Weather Service forecast is any indication of what’s to come.
So far in 2026, the temperature has reached 80 degrees on just one day, Feb. 28, according to Modesto Irrigation District records. That’s about to change, and the first day of spring still is a week away.
Thursday’s expected high is near 80, the weather service says. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are predicted to have high temperatures of 81, 83 and 86 degrees, respectively. All these will be unseasonably warms days at a time of year when average temperatures for Modesto are in the mid- to upper 60s.
With mostly clear skies throughout the weekend, it may be a good time to get outside before daily high temperatures are expected to set records.
The anticipated high on Monday is near 91 degrees. MID records show the average temperature for March 16 is 66 degrees, and the record high is 87, set in 2007.
Tuesday is expected to reach near 91, too. The record high for March 17 is 87 degrees, set in 1972.
And Wednesday, the final day of the seven-day forecast, could reach near 92. The record high for March 18 is 88 degrees, set in 2004.
The record high temperatures for this month are the result of a high-pressure system moving through Northern California. This will be the hottest March on record, with the previous high of 89 degrees set on March 20, 1960, according to www.extremeweatherwatch.com.
Even in the Bay Area, record highs are expected.
