Balmy Weekend In Orange County As Another Heatwave Gears Up

ORANGE COUNTY, CA —The heatwave cooking inland Orange County is baking Los Angeles through the weekend. Triple-digit temperatures struck the San Fernando Valley, along with the unseasonable heat and dry wind gusts, comes elevated fire danger expected to last through Saturday.

Already this week, firefighters have faced several brush fires across the county, confirming expert warnings of a very severe fire season this year as drought, once again, grips California.

As the second day of hot, dry and windy conditions cook Los Angeles, firefighters are on alert.
"A ridge of high pressure setting up over California will strengthen through Friday," the NWS said. "That ridge will result in well-above-average temperatures west of the mountains and High Desert through Friday and Saturday in the low deserts."

Friday produced the second straight day of higher-than-normal temperatures along with low humidity and wind gusts across inland Orange County. Anaheim, who saw the reopening of Disneyland after 13 months of closure, was at 90 degrees as of 4 p.m. Friday.

Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo all saw temperatures hovering in the low to mid-90s on Friday.

Read: Disneyland Reopens On Monumental Day For City Of Anaheim

Humidity levels are expected to range between 8 and 15 percent Friday, with north-northeast wind gusts of 35 mph. Areas facing an increased risk of brush fires will include mountain areas and wind-prone valleys and coastal areas.

"Our climate site in Sandberg broke its record high today (Thursday) by reaching 86 degrees, beating the original of 85 in 2015," the NWS tweeted. "Woodland Hills came super close to record, but was shy one degree. The heat will continue (Friday) before a nice break this weekend."

High in the 90s were predicted for the San Gabriel, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys.

But relief is in sight. By the weekend's end, temperatures are expected to return to normal, the National Weather Service said. On Saturday, temperatures were expected to drop by 10 to 20 degrees in some neighborhoods. On Saturday, temperatures are expected to hover in the 70s along the coast and the 80s in the valleys.

Then another heatwave is expected to hit the region.

"A developing trough over the Great Basin will further increase the onshore flow and a build the marine layer this weekend for more widespread and noticeable cooling, along with night and morning low clouds and patchy fog," the weather service said.

"Westerly winds will become strong and gusty over the mountains and deserts by late Saturday and continue through Sunday. A warming trend will begin on Monday and continue much of the coming week as high pressure rebuilds over the Southwest."

In Woodland Hills on Thursday, the mercury soared to 100 degrees — one degree shy of the record set 1959.

The forecast called for sunny skies and high temperatures between 90 and 100 degrees in the San Fernando Valley, followed by highs in the 80s on Saturday.

City News Service and Patch Staffers Ashley Ludwig, Paige Austin contributed to this report.