Heat Wave Expected to Cook Southland Through Weekend

Written by City News Service

The Southland's heat wave went into a second day Thursday, and forecasters said it would last through the weekend.

"In many areas, daytime temperatures will climb 10 to 15 degrees above seasonal normal," a National Weather Service advisory said Thursday morning, adding that today's warmest spots in Los Angeles County would be the western San Fernando Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley.

Amid muggy conditions, a small chance of showers and thunderstorms is forecast for this afternoon in the San Gabriels in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Maximum high temperatures today will top out at between 100 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit but could actually feel even warmer in some places because of the humidity, forecasters said. Overnight temperatures also will be unseasonably high -- up to 80 degrees in some communities in the foothills of the San Gabriels.

The high pressure now parked over the Southland is expected to weaken Saturday and Sunday, but only slightly, according to the NWS advisory. As a result, there could be "slight cooling" in inland areas, but the coastal plain will remain unseasonably warm because of a weak offshore flow expected to develop.

Whoever plans to be outdoors in these conditions "should practice their heat safety," according to the NWS advisory. "Keep your body hydrated with plenty of water and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day."

The NWS forecast highs today of 79 in Newport Beach; 82 in Avalon; 84 at LAX; 85 on Mount Wilson; 94 in downtown L.A.; 97 in Long Beach; 98 in San Gabriel, Palmdale and Lancaster; 100 in Anaheim; 101 in Burbank and Pasadena; 103 in Woodland Hills; and 104 in Saugus.

An extended NWS forecast indicates a cooling trend will start in some areas on Monday, when the high in downtown is expected to be 10 degrees lower than today, but temperatures in the Antelope Valley will dip only on Wednesday - - and only slightly.