An early-autumn San Francisco Bay Area heat wave that was originally forecast to last two to three days persisted for more than a week, bringing an unusual spell of sweltering weather in October. The heat persisted,

Air conditioners across the Bay Area have been blasting for days amid the record-breaking heat wave, and many residents can expect their next energy bill to reflect that. But just in time, a PG&E credit is on its way that will help offset soaring bills.

The weeklong heat wave, which ended Tuesday, set several new weather records while matching others across the North Bay. High temperatures peaked at or above 95 degrees in downtown Santa Rosa for eight days, from Sept. 30 to Monday, which matches a previous record set in June 1981, National Weather Service meteorologist Dial Hoang said.