Just How Hot Did It Get Tuesday? In a Word, Plenty

A Santa Ana condition sent temperatures soaring Tuesday, as the mercury exceeded the 90-degree mark in most areas of San Diego County. The temperature at Lindbergh Field was a single degree shy of the record for the date, the National Weather Service reported.

Gillespie Field in El Cajon reached a scorching 97, and nearby Santee was close behind with a 94, forecaster Wilbur Shigehara said.

It hit 93 in La Mesa, at Miramar Naval Air Station, at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, at San Diego State University and in Borrego Springs. National City was 92, and Poway, Montgomery Field, Escondido and Fallbrook had 91-degree readings.

The 87 at Lindbergh Field field just missed tying the record of 88, set on April 21, 1899. Beach temperatures varied from an 89 at Coronado to 76 at Del Mar and 76 at Oceanside Harbor.

Above-average crowds trekked to the beaches in search of relief from the heat.

“This is not a Tuesday. This is a summer weekend,” Del Mar lifeguard Grant Larson said. “We have a total of 4,000 people on a day when we should probably have about 1,200.”

Mission Beach lifeguards reported making eight rescues and Del Mar pulled four people from the surf.

Cooler temperatures are expected for the rest of the week as the Santa Ana condition begins dissipating today, Shigehara said.