Dangerously high temperatures are expected during a heat wave hitting Southern California this week, with some highs reaching well above triple digits — including a forecast of 113 degrees in Woodland Hills.
Much of the region — from Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County to Long Beach in LA — is under an extreme heat warning from 11 a.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Friday. The National Weather Service warns of “dangerously hot conditions” after Labor Day, with a heat wave beginning Tuesday and peaking Thursday and Friday.
As the heat intensifies throughout the week, the San Fernando Valley is in for a few particularly muggy days. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in Woodland Hills could reach 113 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday and 113 degrees on Friday.
In the city of LA, highs were in the low 90s on Monday. But Thursday is forecast to hit 97 degrees.
The warm weather, combined with strong winds and dry conditions, is also expected to increase the risk of potential wildfires.
The Southern California coast will see cooler conditions as usual, while mountain areas and the valleys will see temperatures in the triple digits. The extreme heat warning will remain in effect through the end of the week, due to possible weather-related risks.
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“Homeless people, the elderly, children and people with health problems are at the highest risk for heat illness,” the National Weather Service (NWS) warns. “Daytime temperatures between 95 and 105 will become common off the coast.”
“The low temperatures tonight will do little to alleviate the heat,” NWS said.
According to the National Weather Service, pregnant women, newborns and people with chronic illnesses are at particularly high risk. The service advises drinking plenty of water and using air conditioning if possible.
However, NWS has also said that temperatures may not reach as high as some forecasts. For example, Woodland Hills could see a high of 107 degrees on Thursday and 106 degrees on Friday instead of temperatures topping 110 degrees.
Meanwhile, further south in SoCal, the NWS has issued an extreme heat warning that extends across parts of the Inland Empire and Orange and San Diego Counties. This type of weather warning is different from an extreme heat alert.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an extreme heat warning predicts that “extremely dangerous heat conditions will occur over the next 12 hours.” However, an extreme heat warning is issued when conditions only appear likely to produce exceptionally high heat conditions over the next 24 to 72 hours.
In San Bernardino County, the NWS is warning of “dangerously hot conditions” with temperatures in the upper 90s to 105 degrees in the Apple and Lucerne Valleys. These conditions are expected to persist Wednesday morning through Friday evening.
Similar weather is expected in some areas of Riverside County, with Thursday expected to be the warmest day of the week.
Overall, temperatures across a swath of Southern California stretching from Orange County to San Diego County are expected to be 10 to 15 degrees above average this week.
