Extreme heat is expected to sweep into Southern California, extending a summer of miserable sticking and scorching temperatures.
“We had a lot of heat waves,” said V. Kelly Turner, who leads the heat research group at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. “There’s a little ease between them, but it’s not.”
The weekend is expected to bring dangerous heat from Friday, with forecasters warning of high risks of illness and extreme heat.
High pressure over Arizona will expand west over the weekend, reaching the interior desert regions of California and possibly farther west along the coast, according to the National Weather Service. That will send temperatures up to 10 degrees above normal in many areas, potentially setting new daily records, the Weather Service forecast.
“The main message is: Whether we meet or exceed records, this is an extreme heat event that will happen,” said Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for a large area, off the coast, from Friday through Sunday.
(National Weather Service)
Forecasters are calling for highs of 95 to 110 degrees in the valleys, with parts of the Antelope Valley that could reach 115 degrees, and 100 to 110 across the Inland Empire and High Desert, and low deserts that could reach 120 degrees.
Nighttime temperatures won’t drop much below 70 degrees in many areas near Los Angeles, which will increase the risk of heat stress, Cohen said.
Humidity levels dropped through Wednesday, allowing for more cooling overnight, which provided some relief, forecasters said. But models suggest moisture could return later in the week and into the weekend, according to the Weather Service.
Most of Southern California, except for the nearby coast, will see an improved risk of large wildfires Friday through Sunday, when conditions will be hotter and drier, said Kristen Stewart, a meteorologist with the US Forest Service. Areas of greatest concern include the mountains of the San Joaquin Valley and the foothills, he said.
(National Weather Service)
“Our fuel has been drying up over time and it is at very critical levels right now,” he said.
Forecasters are calling for a slight cooling to begin on Sunday but warn that temperatures will still be above normal and will remain so for the foreseeable future as pressure continues.
Southern California saw an unusually hot and muddy summer, in part due to warm ocean temperatures.
Such chronic events are exacerbated by the stress heat puts on people’s bodies, as well as humidity, which may also render some solutions such as shading ineffective, Turner said.
Climate change due to the burning of fossil fuels has led to hotter, more common heat waves, said David Eisenman, professor of medicine and director of the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions.
“Another important thing is that the night time is not as cool as before, so our bodies cannot recover in the same way,” she said.
Besides causing death and illness directly, extreme heat can exacerbate heart, lung and kidney disease, as well as mental health problems, he said.
People can reduce stress by staying indoors somewhere with air conditioning, taking the shadiest route possible when spending time outside, and soaking in water — even if it’s just a cold foot bath, Turner said. He calls the recommendations “the big three.”
“Those are the ones that make your body work harder to heal itself,” she said.
Cohen, of the Weather Service, said people should also stay hydrated and avoid leaving children or pets in cars. Those who must be outside are encouraged to wear light, loose-fitting clothing and limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening, he said.
Forecasters have warned that those looking to escape the heat with a trip to the beach should take care, as a large blast to the south of Hurricane Genevieve will continue to cause large waves. Lifeguards in Southern California reported making thousands of rescues last weekend amid overcrowded conditions, surf and strong currents.
A high surf advisory is in effect Saturday evening, with forecasters warning of the greatest danger for beaches facing south, such as from Manhattan Beach to Port Hueneme along the Malibu coast, and from Long Beach to the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
The Weather Service has also issued coastal flood advisories for the Ventura and LA County coasts from Wednesday evening through Friday due to high tides.
