If you thought last week's heat was rough, brace yourself. The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Watch for Southern California, and Santee's seven-day forecast reads like a summer scoreboard — not a mid-March one.

The NWS forecast for Santee as of Saturday morning shows highs of 84°F today, climbing to 87°F Sunday, 94°F Monday, 97°F Tuesday, 98°F Wednesday, 99°F Thursday, and 100°F by Friday, March 20. Temperatures are running 20 to 25 degrees above seasonal average across inland valleys, according to the weather service.

Forecasters say daily and monthly March temperature records could fall at most climate sites across the region, with some locations potentially challenging all-time March records. The NWS noted the event is unusual not just for its magnitude, but for its unprecedented length — a full week or more of well-above-average temperatures.

For East County residents, the concern is real. Inland valleys like Santee, El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lakeside consistently run 5 to 15 degrees hotter than coastal communities and have less natural cooling at night. Authorities are urging residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay out of direct sun during peak afternoon hours, seek air conditioning, and check on elderly neighbors and those without cooling.

Children and pets should never be left in parked vehicles, even briefly. SDG&E has not issued a Flex Alert as of Saturday morning, but grid demand could spike significantly if the forecast holds. Residents should monitor AlertSanDiego.org for any official heat emergency declarations.