Hottest Weather of Summer About to Hit the Valley

A warming trend will begin in the Southland today, sending valley temperatures soaring to 100 and above and ushering in a period forecast to be the hottest of the summer and to persist through the weekend.

In the Greater Los Angeles Area, the hottest spot will be the Antelope Valley, where highs will reach 108 degrees by Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

"Although this will not be a prolific heat wave event, daytime high temperatures will continue to be the warmest we have seen this summer across the interior locations,'' said an NWS advisory.

The advisory attributed the heat spell to a "combination of weak onshore gradients and a large area of high pressure building Southern
California."

It said there is a possibility of monsoonal moisture accompanying the high heat.

"The added humidity could cause some discomfort with hot temperatures already in place," it said.

The NWS urged people planning outdoor activities to wear lightweight clothing and drink plenty of water.

And, the advisory warned, "never, ever leave children, the elderly or pets in enclosed automobiles, even for a short period of time. Even if the windows are partially open, temperatures can quickly rise to life-threatening levels.''

The NWS forecast highs today of 73 in Avalon and Newport Beach; 76 at LAX; 85 in Long Beach and downtown L.A.; 88 in Anaheim; 90 on Mount Wilson; 93 in Burbank; 94 in San Gabriel; 100 in Newhall, Palmdale and Woodland Hills; and 101 in Lancaster.

Highs will be between two and four degrees higher by Thursday before
beginning to climb down on Sunday.

 -- City News Service