Temperatures remained high across Southern California on Thursday, Aug. 21, with extreme heat warnings and advisories in place across the region.
The peak of the heat wave is expected Thursday and Friday, the National Weather Service said. While it’s brought hotter temperatures than in recent weeks, it is not particularly extreme in terms of all-time Southern California highs.
“This is definitely more normal heat for this time of year,” Sam Zuber, an NWS meteorologist said.
All of Los Angeles County, except the beaches, is under a heat warning through Saturday evening. Orange County and the San Bernardino and Riverside County mountains’ heat advisories and warnings end on Friday. In the Inland Empire and all of the desert areas of San Bernardino and Riverside County, the warnings and advisories end on Saturday.
A Red Flag Warning for fire weather issued by the NWS remains in place until Saturday, including parts of Los Angeles County– Santa Clarita, Simi Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains. The area under the warning stretches up to include the mountains and forests of Santa Barbara County. The 5 Freeway Corridor north of Los Angeles, Santa Clarita Valley, San Gabriel Mountains, Antelope Valley foothills, the 14 Freeway Corridor and Ventura County Mountains are all areas included in the advisory.
The warning has prompted additional fire resources to be sent to Los Angeles County.
On Saturday and Sunday, thunderstorms are expected in the region. There also is a chance of thunderstorms on Friday in the San Bernardino mountains and possibly the mountains in Riverside County, with the storms moving into more populous areas, Zuber said.
Lightning can add to fire risk.
No widespread heat records are expected to be broken in the Inland Empire or Orange County areas, while Los Angeles County may see close to record temperatures as the weekend gets underway.
The Orange County coast will see temperatures in the upper 70s low 80s on Thursday. Inland Orange County will be in the upper 80s to mid 90s while the Santa Ana Mountains area will be in the mid 80s, according to the NWS.
The Inland Empire will experience triple-digit temperatures of 105-107 degrees, with slightly cooler temperatures around 101 degrees at the foothills. The mountain areas of Riverside County can expect temperatures in the 80s and low 90s.
San Bernardino County’s High Desert will be between 100-106 degrees and the San Bernardino Mountains will be in the low 80s to upper 80s, Zuber said.
Los Angeles’ hottest day will be Friday, with temperatures in the upper 90s across the coastal plain, 102-108 degrees in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys, and temperatures in the deserts up to 110 degrees, according to Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the NWS. Temperatures are expected to cool by a few degrees on Saturday.
Depending on the weather as the weekend begins, the advisories in the county may be extended through Sunday.
“It’s going to be a very hot weekend,” Thompson said.
There is potential for record-breaking heat in some areas, Thompson said.
Hundreds of cooling centers were opened in Los Angeles County at city parks and library locations to provide relief to residents.
No heat-related power outages were reported by Southern California Edison as of late Thursday morning. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reminded residents to avoid using big appliances between 4 and 9 p.m. and to unplug chargers and turn off lights and electronics when possible to conserve energy during the heat wave.
On Wednesday, the Montrose Search and Rescue Team rescued two hikers and their four dogs overcome by the heat on Colby Canyon Trail, about 12 miles north of La Canada Flintridge.
One hiker suffered heat exhaustion, one dog died and two other dogs were carried out, said Sheriff’s Sgt. John Gilbert, coordinator of the team. A fourth dog was able to walk out on its own, he added. The other hiker wasn’t injured. The hikers were two women in their 30s, he said.
He described the place where the hikers and dogs ended up as remote, very steep and exposed to the sun.
“It was in the low 90s. They were in full sun. No breeze,” Gilbert said.
There is no cell signal there. The hikers sent out a satellite SOS, which came to the station’s front desk around 1 p.m. They were told the dogs were in “heat distress”, he said.
Rescuers saw one dog had succumbed to the heat, Gilbert said.
A rescuer carried one dog, accompanied by one hiker and the dog still able to walk. But that dog had difficulty walking due to the heat and the steepness of the trail, Gilbert said.
Rescuers put the dog that died and the other dog unable to walk in a basket and rolled them to a vehicle, he said.
They also called in firefighters and a sheriff’s helicopter for the second hiker. She was taken to a hospital.
Gilbert suggests taking a break from hiking due to the scorching weather.
“At this point, we really, really are discouraging people from hiking in this heat or bringing their dogs,” Gilbert said.
Most of the areas don’t have adequate shelter or water, he added.
“We would recommend waiting until the temperatures cool down,” Gilbert said.