National Weather Service heat advisories for Southern and Central California. Extreme heat warnings were also issued for the coastal foothills and Mojave Desert. Sacramento Bee

If you were hoping the weekend forecast might soften up, sorry — it’s the opposite. A heat dome is parking itself over California, and the San Joaquin Valley is squarely in the bake zone. The good news for families itching to get out of town: cooler air is only a short drive away, and if you’re staying put, a few brand-new ice cream shops just opened to help you power through.

Here’s your quick-hit guide to beating the heat, whether you want a mountain lake, a mid-elevation escape or just a really good waffle cone.

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What the weekend actually looks like

The National Weather Service office in Hanford has issued a heat advisory for the San Joaquin Valley and adjacent foothills from noon Saturday through Monday evening, according to the Fresno Bee. Afternoon highs could reach 108 in parts of the valley, with widespread readings around 105. The advisory covers Fresno, Merced, Bakersfield, Visalia, Madera and Hanford.

The rough part? Overnights won’t offer much of a break. Valley-floor lows are expected to dip only to the upper 60s, and some foothill areas will stay in the low 80s overnight. That means no real reset before another triple-digit day.

Carlos Molina, a meteorologist with the NWS Hanford office, said Saturday looks like the peak, but the heat will hang on through Monday.

“You definitely need to take precautions,” Molina said.

His baseline advice: seek shade, stay out of the sun and drink plenty of water. His other suggestion, which many Fresno families are already considering: leave town.

Where to go — and how far you’ll drive

If you’re heading out of the valley, aim north or east. Just about everything west and south of Fresno is also under heat advisories, Molina told the Fresno Bee, so those directions won’t buy you much relief.

Here’s how the nearby options are shaping up.

Bass Lake — about an hour northeast

Indoor and outdoor dining are available at Ducey’s on the Lake, overlooking the marina on Bass Lake. Ducey’s Special to The Bee

Expected high around 93, roughly 10 degrees cooler than Fresno. Close enough for a day trip, big enough for a weekend. Marina, swimming, kayak rentals, restaurants right on the water. If you’ve got kids who just want to jump in something, this is the easy call.

Auberry — about 45 minutes east

High near 95 with a light wind Saturday. It’s a lower-key option than Bass Lake, good for families who want a change of scenery without a long drive or a crowded shoreline.

Springville — foothills to the south

High around 94, tucked into the Tule River foothills. A quieter option and a nice base if you want to poke around the southern Sierra without committing to a national park entrance.

Tuolumne Meadows — Yosemite high country

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIF. — — -8/2/06/06– — -Wet winter and spring is still causing wildflowers to bloom in the Lyell Canyon near the John Muir Trail in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. MARK CROSSE– -FRESNO BEE MARK CROSSE Fresno Bee Staff Photo

Expected high of 78 — that’s 25 degrees cooler than Fresno’s forecast. It’s a longer haul, but if you’re planning a weekend trip anyway, this is where you truly escape summer. Bring layers. Evenings up here get chilly, even in a heat wave.

Lake Edison — eastern Fresno County

Temperatures around 73 to 87 this weekend. Deep in the Sierra Nevada and gorgeously remote. Cell service is spotty, which some families will see as a feature, not a bug.

Grant Grove and Lodgepole — Sequoia National Park

Both sitting around 77 to 80. Big trees, walkable meadows and a manageable drive from Fresno. The Grant Grove area has lodging and a market if you want to overnight without tent camping.

One caution from Molina, especially for anyone new to high-elevation trips: hydrate even more than you think you need to.

“As you go up in elevation, the humidity drops off,” Molina said.

That dry mountain air can dehydrate kids fast, even when they don’t feel hot.

Why this heat wave is punching so hard

If it feels like this one is stronger than the usual valley summer stretch, that’s because it is. According to the Fresno Bee, the largest heat dome on Earth will be positioned over the southwestern U.S. on Friday, sending triple-digit temperatures across California. Heat domes are basically giant lids of hot, high-pressure air that push warmth toward the ground and keep skies cloud-free.

Two extra ingredients are making this one meaner: leftover energy from Hurricane Genevieve, which rapidly intensified out in the Pacific and dumped heat into the upper atmosphere, and unusual humidity driven by this year’s Super El Niño. The combination will nudge Central Valley highs toward 110 near Bakersfield and Redding, with Fresno expected to top 105.

The other thing to know: this isn’t a one-and-done. The heat dome is expected to linger into next week for Northern and Central California, even as Southern California starts to cool off. Sacramento, Fresno and Redding should expect stubborn triple digits into midweek. Highs may back off slightly by Tuesday, but the valley likely stays in triple digits.

Staying in town? Five new places to cool down

If a road trip isn’t in the cards, an ice cream run absolutely is. Five new ice cream and frozen yogurt spots have landed in the Fresno-Clovis area in the past year or so, according to the Fresno Bee.

Janel Haas pours cream soda into Caramel Apple in a Cup Fizzy Float at Jay’s Specialty Ice Cream which has just opened along Shaw Ave. west of 99. The shop will host its grand opening Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Photographed Monday, Sept. 22, 2025 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com

Jay’s Specialty Ice Cream — Janel Haas ran her blue ice cream truck for more than a decade after graduating from Fresno State before opening her first brick-and-mortar shop in September at 5985 W. Shaw Ave., near Hayes Avenue. Dozens of flavors, including rocky road, Oreo delight and Red Wave — strawberry mixed with blueberries and white chocolate chips. Milkshakes, root beer floats, banana splits, cheesecake rolls, ice cream nachos and mini pancakes are on the menu too.

The Ice Cream Shop — Opened in December in a new building at 2832 N. Fowler Ave., just south of Shields Avenue. Neon signs, pink-purple-blue specialty cones and very Instagram-friendly presentation. Ice cream on brownies, between cookies, plus gelato, snow cones, milkshakes and rainbow slushies.

CREAM — Short for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me. Owners Amanda Vogel and Gurvinder Sandhu — with help from their kids — opened a second location this spring at 2097 W. Bullard Ave., in the Pavilion West shopping center at Bullard and West avenues, in the former G’s Creamery spot. Ice cream sandwiched between cookies, tucked into waffle-cone tacos, or served as sundaes and milkshakes.

Sweet Frog, is a premium frozen yogurt shop that recently opened on Fowler Avenue near Shepherd in Clovis. They offer a wide selection of soft-serve frozen yogurt, including over 21 flavors and more than 50 toppings, available for you to customize your own dessert. The shop is a family-friendly spot with a rotating selection of fresh ingredients. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

Sweet Frog — Self-serve frozen yogurt at 1990 N. Fowler Ave., at the southwest corner of Fowler and Shepherd avenues in Clovis. Twenty-one flavors, more than 50 toppings, plus dairy-free and no-sugar-added options. Bright, kid-friendly and easy to navigate with a stroller.

Crème Paris — Recently opened at 5677 E. Kings Canyon Road, a few doors down from the FoodMaxx near Clovis Avenue. Ice cream, milkshakes, slushies and frozen lemonade, plus a globally influenced menu with crepes, matcha, boba, iced Vietnamese coffee, french fries and egg rolls.

The quick game plan

Saturday is the hottest day, so if you’re driving, leave early. Pack more water than you think you need — for the road, for the hike, for the pool deck. If you’re staying home, hit the ice cream shop after dinner when the valley finally starts to breathe. And don’t count on the heat breaking soon: highs stay in the triple digits into midweek before easing off.

Original stories by Sean Macaday, Bethany Clough and Amber Hair

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.

This story was originally published July 31, 2026 6:25 PM.