Dangerous heat wave moving in this week across Southern California – Orange County Register

Southern California is expected to see its hottest days of the year this week, when a blistering heat wave will send temperatures soaring above 100 degrees in some areas.

Temperatures are expected to climb gradually over the next couple of days, peaking on Wednesday and Thursday before dropping back to more normal summertime levels heading into next weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

A heat advisory remained in place Sunday and Monday, and an extreme heat watch has been issued for most areas of Los Angeles and Orange counties from Tuesday morning through Thursday evening. The NWS said those extreme heat watches “will almost certainly become warnings on Tuesday for most areas except possibly along the immediate coast and continuing through Thursday, though there is a 20-30% chance that warnings will extend to the coast as well.”

Forecasters also said the combination of hot and moderately dry conditions with gusty onshore winds were bringing elevated fire weather conditions across the interior Sunday, and “an enhanced risk of plume-dominated fire potential over the interior. Even hotter temperatures with enhanced risk of plume-dominated fire potential are possible Tuesday through Thursday.”

Highs are expected to reach triple digits in parts of the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys Wednesday and Thursday, with Wednesday likely seeing the highest numbers.

Forecasters are calling for highs of 87 and 91 degrees in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday and Thursday. In Lancaster, those highs will be 103 and 100, and in Van Nuys, highs of 101 and 95 degrees are expected mid-week.

The extreme heat watch will be in effect from 10 a.m. Tuesday to at least 8 p.m. Thursday in the areas of Riverside, Idyllwild-Pine Cove, Moreno Valley, Corona, the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, Temecula and Hemet due to hot and humid conditions, according to the weather service.

Wednesday’s highs will be about 105 degrees in the downtown Riverside area, 101 in Temecula, 106 in Hemet, the NWS said.

Huntington Beach could reach 80 degrees, Fullerton around 98 and Santa Ana around 93 degrees by Wednesday. Some inland portions of Orange County, like Fullerton and Yorba Linda, could hover close to triple-digits, according to the weather service.

Ontario could reach highs of 105 and San Bernardino 107 degrees by Wednesday, as well, forecasters said.

On Thursday, temperatures could decrease about two to five degrees and return to normal across the region by Friday.

The NWS added that monsoonal moisture will add to the discomfort, bringing shower and thunderstorm potential each day, highest in the mountains.

On Sunday by the late afternoon, Orange County highs included a relatively balmy 78 degrees in Huntington Beach, 77 in Fullerton and 83 in Santa Ana. The temperatures reached 94 in downtown Riverside, 89 in Temecula, 96 in Hemet. In San Bernardino County, the highs hit 84 degrees in Ontario and 91 in San Bernardino.

Authorities advise people to prevent heat-related health effects by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, staying out of the sun during the warmest times of the day, taking shelter in air-conditioned spaces if possible and checking up on at-risk friends, relatives and neighbors.

Children and pets should never be left in a parked vehicle even with the windows cracked, as temperatures can heat up to deadly levels within minutes.