How hot will it get at this year’s California Mid-State Fair? Here’s the forecast

Heading to the California Mid-State Fair? You can expect hot entertainment — and even hotter weather, according to the National Weather Service.

The fair kicks off Wednesday in Paso Robles with carnival rides, livestock shows and concerts by big-name acts including Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley and Jelly Roll.

Paso Robles was expected to see temperatures in the high 90s during the start of the week, according to Mike a Wofford, a meteorologist at the Weather Service’s Oxnard office.

Then, he said, “It’s going to be getting hotter.”

“We are expecting a warming trend,” Wofford said. “By Thursday, Paso Robles will be getting into the lower 100s. As we get into Saturday or Sunday, we’re looking at 103 to 106.”

Triple-digit temperatures could continue to bake the fair for several days into next week, the meteorologist added.

What’s in the weather forecast for California Mid-State Fair

Opening day for the fair will be sunny and hot with a high temperature near 98 degrees and winds of 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service’s seven-day forecast.

Wednesday night will be mostly clear, with a low temperature around 57 degrees, the Weather Service said.

The temperature will continue rising in Paso Robles, which is expected to see a high near 103 on Thursday and a low around 59.

Friday will also be sunny and hot, with a high near 105 and a low around 60.

More sweltering temperatures are expected over the weekend.

Both Saturday and Sunday will have high temperatures near 106, the Weather Service said,

The low on Saturday will be around 60, while the temperature will drop to 59 on Sunday.

Paso Robles residents and visitors can expect more scorching heat on Monday, which will have a high of 106 and a low of 61.

How hot does Paso Robles normally get in July?

It’s normal to see high temperatures in the high 90s in Paso Robles this time of year, Wofford said, although the mercury can climb into the 110s.

“I wouldn’t rule out having that happen again,” he said.

What’s the temperature record in North County?

Two of the hottest periods in the history of Paso Robles were in mid- to late July, according to David Gomberg, a meteorologist with the Weather Service’s Oxnard office.

The North County city saw a record high temperature of 114 degrees on July 19, 1960, and set another daily record with a high of 115 on the following day, Gomberg said.

In 2006, Paso Robles experienced another streak of record-high temperatures — reporting 114 degrees on July 22 and July 23; 113 degrees on July 24 and 112 degrees on July 25.

Sept. 6, 2020, was the hottest day ever in Paso Robles, Gomberg said. That’s when the city hit an all-time high temperature of 117 degrees.

“That was an incredible day,” he said. “The whole area was in extremes.”

How long could heat wave last?

“It looks like it’s going to stay well above 100 going into next week,” Wofford said.

That’s bad news for folks flocking to the Mid-State Fair, which runs through July 28 at the Paso Robles Event Center.

Wofford noted that the Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center has predicted “above-normal temperatures” this summer.

“This isn’t even our hottest time our year,” Wofford said. “Later into July and August, we tend to get our hottest temperatures.”