A late-summer sizzle has kept Yuba-Sutter residents in a constant sweat, but relief is on the way, just in time for Labor Day.

Temperatures reached 104 degrees Wednesday and are expected to stay above 100 degrees today, but will gradually drop to the low-to-mid 90s by Labor Day, according to the National Weather Service.

The high temperature for the Yuba-Sutter area for the 24-hour period ending at about 5 p.m. Wednesday was 103.

A high-pressure system in the southwest United States is the cause of the warmer weather, National Weather Service forecaster Jared Leighton said.

Not only did it bring its own heat, but the high pressure also cut off the delta breeze, which has so far kept this summer relatively cool.

The hot weather is causing Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to ask customers to cut back on their energy usage during the peak demand hours in the afternoon. The company said the move is strictly precautionary and doesn’t expect any shortages this weekend.

As for Labor Day, AAA of Northern California is expecting a flat travel schedule for people trying to get in one last summer vacation. A slim 1 percent increase from last year will have an estimated 4.9 million people planning to travel this weekend, with 3.9 million hitting the roads, based on AAA surveys.

“There is a lot of concern about travel costs,” said AAA spokeswoman Cynthia Harris. “High gas prices will definitely have an impact on families trying to travel.”

For the travelers who do hit the roads, the California Highway Patrol will be at maximum enforcement, with 80 percent of available officers on the roads, including Commissioner Mike Brown. Last year, there were 46 fatalities on California’s highways, but none in the Yuba-Sutter area.

The focus will be on drunken drivers, as well as speeders and seat belts, said Jeff Larson, Yuba-Sutter CHP spokesman.

“More units on the road means we’re going to be making more stops,” Larson said.

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