Heat Wave to Keep Temperatures 15 Degrees Above Normal

Gusty northerly winds blew across portions of Southern California this morning at the start of another warm day.

A wind advisory issued by the National Weather Service will be in effect until noon in the Santa Clarita Valley and both the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains.

Forecasters said winds of between 15 and 25 miles per hour gusting to 40 mph would sweep the Santa Clarita Valley, while winds of 20-30 mph were expected in the mountains, with 45-mph gusts in the Santa Monicas and 50-mph gusts in the San Gabriels.

Gusty winds will make driving difficult, especially in high-profile vehicles, forecasters said.

Temperatures, meanwhile, will be abnormally high once again, with highs reaching the mid-80s in Orange County. The high heat, running around 15 degrees above average, results from high pressure over the region, said NWS meteorologist Kathy Hoxie.

The NWS forecast sunny skies today and highs of 69 in Lancaster; 70 in Palmdale; 72 in Newport Beach and San Clemente; 73 in Laguna Beach; 74 on Mount Wilson; 75 in Avalon: 78 at LAX and in Saugus; 80 in San Gabriel, Anaheim and Irvine; 81 in Fullerton; 82 in Long Beach, Burbank, Woodland Hills and downtown L.A; 83 in Mission Viejo and Pasadena; and 85 in Yorba Linda.

Temperatures are expected to be about the same as today through Thursday, followed by a cooling trend starting Friday. But even after they start climbing down, temperatures will be in the 70s -- still above average.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock