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An offshore weather system will shut off the Bay Area's natural air conditioning this week, cranking the heat up into the triple digits in some communities.

"It will be a little warmer each day," said Diana Henderson of the National Weather Service. "Wednesday, people will definitely feel it. Some days it could reach into the 100s."

Oakland will be cooler, but still warm, with temperatures expected to hit 87 Wednesday, 88 Thursday and 90 Friday. However, some areas of Alameda County are expected to get much warmer.

In Livermore, temperatures are expected to hit 94, 98 and 97 during the three days. In Concord, the weather service is predicting 95 on Wednesday, 97 on Thursday and 98 on Friday.

"We have a rather strong high-pressure system coming in off the coast," Henderson said. "The system will shut off the ocean breeze, the area's natural air conditioning system."

The heat will begin to subside Saturday, but only by a few degrees, Henderson said.

Starting Wednesday, people should mow their lawns before 10 a.m. If it gets too hot, one fire district spokeswoman said, a spark can start a fire.

The weather service advises residents to stay hydrated and stay inside if possible. Some senior centers in areas expecting the hottest temperatures, such as the Concord Senior Center, will open their doors to those who don't have air conditioning in their homes during the year's first heat wave.

Many other centers, such

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as the Pleasanton Senior Center, will open their doors if the temperature breaks 100 degrees for two consecutive days. Residents should call their local centers for details.

County fire departments and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced the official start of fire season Monday. That means fire reports will draw additional response from neighboring fire departments.

"We cruised right from winter to summer without much of a spring," said Contra Costa fire Battalion Chief Dave George. "The grass dried quicker. Because it's so dry so early, it makes us so much more worried."

Reach Roman Gokhman at 925-945-4780 or rgokhman@bayareanewsgroup.com.