Heat, High Pressure System Continues In Trabuco Canyon

TRABUCO CANYON, CA —Hot weather and increased fire danger continued Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.

Orange County highs will reach the mid and upper 90s and get close to 100 in some locations. Low humidity and dry vegetation have caused elevated fire danger in the area. With the heatwave, humidity levels will range from single digits to mid-teens, according to the NWS.

The NWS forecast sunny skies in Orange County and highs of 75 in San Clemente, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach; 78 in Fountain Valley; 79 in San Juan Capistrano; 82 on Santiago Peak; 86 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 87 in Rancho Santa Margarita; 88 in Irvine, Lake Forest and Fullerton; 89 in Mission Viejo and Anaheim; 90 in Yorba Linda; and 91 in Fremont Canyon and Trabuco Canyon.

Temperatures will climb a few degrees Wednesday before beginning a slow retreat Thursday.

Forecasters blamed the hot spell on an upper-level ridge of high pressure combined with weakening onshore flow.

"There is an outside chance of dangerously hot conditions developing between Wednesday and Thursday," according to an NWS statement.
Though Orange County temperatures are generally lower than in L.A. County the NWS issued a heat advisory scheduled to be in effect from 11 a.m. Wednesday to 9 p.m. Thursday, but it canceled it early Tuesday morning.

The NWS forecast a combination of sunny and partly cloudy skies in L.A. County and highs of 75 at LAX; 76 in Avalon; 84 on Mount Wilson; 86 in Long Beach and downtown L.A.; 90 in San Gabriel; 92 in Burbank; 97 in Saugus; 99 in Woodland Hills; and 100 in Palmdale and Lancaster.

Temperatures will climb a few degrees Wednesday and begin slipping back on Thursday when highs will be around Tuesday's levels.

Still, NWS meteorologist Curt Kaplan said that the coming days would not produce any heat records. The warmest conditions will not last long enough to be termed a heatwave. But temperatures will reach several degrees above normal. By Friday, he said, temperatures will drop 5-9 degrees.

With the hot weather, some are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, particularly among infants and the elderly, the homeless, outdoor workers, and anyone taking part in outdoor activities.

The NWS has urged residents to protect themselves and their loved ones over the hot spell by staying hydrated, wearing light clothing, avoiding the midday sun, checking on friends and neighbors -- especially the elderly -- and never leave children or the elderly in cars parked in the heat, even with windows cracked open.