Heat Advisory, Elevated Fire Danger In Rancho Santa Margarita

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — Temperatures in the mid-90s struck Rancho Santa Margarita, Tuesday as triple-digit temperatures were forecast for parts of Orange County and Los Angeles.

A heat advisory warning of potential heat-related illnesses was in effect Tuesday in Orange County, Los Angeles county and beach cities. Wednesday and Thursday were expected to see a drop in temperatures across the Southland.

In Orange County, at least three cities were expected to sizzle amid highs of 101 degrees.

"Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur," warned the National Weather Service. "Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.

"Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible.

"To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 911."

Humidity levels in the Southland were expected to be a low 3 to 10 percent Tuesday, but no red flag warnings signifying a high risk of wildfire were issued, unlike on Monday. Nor are they likely to be, said NWS meteorologist Kristen Stewart, who is based in Oxnard.

Stewart said the current conditions are creating "an elevated fire danger" but it falls short of critical because the wind -- while stiff in places -- isn't quite strong enough to warrant the issuance of red flag warnings.

NWS meteorologist Brandt Maxwell, Stewart's counterpart in San Diego, where Orange County weather is forecast, said the same. There will be some 30- mile-per-hour gusts, Maxwell said, but on the whole the gusts will be neither strong enough nor frequent enough to create a significant threat, not even in the Santa Ana mountains.

The National weather service forecast sunny skies in Orange County and highs of 72 on Santiago Peak; 84 in San Clemente; 85 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 86 in Dana Point and San Clemente; 88 in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach; 92 in Laguna Niguel; 93 at Fremont Canyon; 94 in Lake Forest and San Juan Capistrano; 95 in Los Alamitos; 97 at Trabuco Canyon and in Yorba Linda; 99 in Mission Viejo; and 101 in Fullerton, Anaheim and Irvine.

Orange County temperatures will drop Wednesday and Thursday while remaining in the 90s and high 80s but head toward normal temperatures starting Friday.

Sunny weather was forecast in L.A County Tuesday, along with highs of 78 degrees on Mount Wilson; 85 in Avalon; 89 in Palmdale and Lancaster; 91 at LAX: 93 in Saugus; 96 in Pasadena and San Gabriel; 97 in Downtown L.A. and Burbank; 98 in Long Beach; and 99 in Woodland Hills. Temperatures will mostly decline slightly Wednesday and Thursday while remaining high, but fall another several degrees on Friday.

The NWS reported Tuesday that Monday's conditions produced heat records for a June 8 at Los Angeles and Long Beach airports. The 84 degrees at LAX beat the 77 recorded in 1979, while Long Beach's 90 degrees was 2 degrees higher than in 2015.