Triple-digit temperatures will arrive in parts of Southern California on Wednesday as a heat wave descends, exacerbating the woes of firefighters who already are battling a number of wildfires across the region. The spike in heat is expected to peak Thursday and taper down by Friday evening, forecasters say.
Hot, dry conditions increase the risk of more wildfires though “this particular heat wave isn’t particularly dangerous relative to what you could expect for this time of the year,” said Sebastian Westerink, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The meteorologist added that unpredictable winds aren’t expected, which would contribute to the likelihood of erratic fire behavior and drier air.
This heat wave is being driven by a strong ridge of pressure near the four-corner states that is expanding over Southern California, said Carol Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. That high pressure leads to warmer and typically drier conditions.
Here’s what SoCal residents can expect this week:
Los Angeles County residents should expect increases in temperatures of four to eight degrees during the heatwave, according to Smith. Here are temperature highs LA residents can expect to feel on Thursday, the peak of the heatwave:
- Woodland Hills: 104
- Downtown LA: 92
- Pasadena: 95
In Orange County, residents will be looking at these Thursday temperature highs:
- Inland OC: lower 90s
- Coastal OC: upper 70s to around 80
Over in the Inland Empire, residents should expect these temperature highs on Thursday:
- Riverside County and San Bernardino counties: mid 90s, close to 100
- Areas along the 210 corridor: above 100
- Lake Elsinore: up to 105
Heat advisories and extreme heat warnings are expected to go into effect beginning on Wednesday at 10 a.m. through 8 p.m. on Friday for the inland areas of Orange County, the entire Inland Empire, mountain regions of Southern California, and the Coachella Valley area, according to Westerink.
During the heat wave, residents are advised not to recreate outdoors between the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., said Smith. Residents should also make sure they are keeping themselves, their family (pets included) hydrated with easy access to cool spaces.
To mitigate wildfire risks, residents are advised not to engage in outdoor burning, use weed whackers, or anything else that could ignite a spark.
“While this won’t be anything record-breaking especially west of the mountains, that this is heat that people haven’t seen in a very long time and so it could catch a lot of people by surprise just because of the difference in temperature of what people have been used to given our very moderate and cool July, especially for inland areas,” said Westerink.
Temperatures are expected to gradually cool down on Saturday and Sunday.