Heat blasts Petaluma, North Bay

Petaluma recorded 98 degrees, and the temperature topped out at 93 degrees in Santa Rosa.|

Howarth Park in Santa Rosa was bustling with walkers, children climbing on the jungle gym and couples mingling Tuesday night. Nearly every picnic table under the trees was taken by groups enjoying salads, pizza, wine and charcuterie platters - all while a warm breeze lingered.

It ended up being a record-breaking day for heat in Santa Rosa. The temperature rose to 93 degrees in the afternoon, making it the hottest April 23 in 73 years, according to the National Weather Service.

Windsor, Petaluma and Healdsburg each topped out at 98 degrees, while the Sonoma Coast recorded temperatures in the 70s.

The warm weather was unusual for this time of year, but it is expected to last through the week before cooling slightly to typical seasonal temperatures, meterologist Carolina Walbrun said.

“We are having the hottest temperatures that we have seen so far this year,” Walbrun said. “For Santa Rosa airport, the normal for this time of year is 70 degrees, so we are 23 degrees above normal for today.”

A high- pressure ridge sweeping over the North Bay ushered in the hot weather, she said.

With unseasonably warm weather, Howarth Park was a popular spot for a weeknight. It inspired Chris Slocomb to plan a picnic dinner for his date, Ingrid Robertshaw.

“We have just started dating and he texted me today about having our date outside since the weather is so nice,” Robertshaw said.

Slocomb made a salad for the two of them that he proudly called an “everything but the kitchen sink” meal, which they enjoyed under the trees at sunset before going to a movie.

“It was like we did not even have a spring season. It went from winter to hot weather,” Robertshaw said.

Mark Loner was standing near the docks at Lake Ralphine with a fishing line and his son in tow.

“This is my first time fishing this year and it is because the weather is so nice,” said Loner, a Santa Rosa native.

The fish are easier to catch, in his opinion, when the weather is warm, since there are many more insects hovering just above the surface of the water stirring activity. Loner has been fishing since his childhood, and has taught his two sons and nephew to fish. They were all at the park with him Tuesday night.

Visiting the park on warm days and evenings is a tradition for Lisa Dureg of Lake County.

“It is something we never miss, especially when the weather is like this,” said Dureg, as her two youngest sons played on the playground equipment.

“This is always on our list because this park is our favorite and we love it,” she said. “I just wish they could spray for mosquitoes more often so we could stay even later.”

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