Extreme heat is set to roll into Southern California, extending a summer of misery-making stickiness and hot temperatures.
“We’ve had so many heat waves,” said V. Kelly Turner, who leads the heat research group at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. “There’s a slight reprieve between them, but not really.”
The weekend is expected to bring dangerous heat starting Friday, with forecasters warning of elevated risks of heat illness and large wildfires.
High pressure over Arizona will expand west through the weekend, reaching California’s interior deserts and potentially as far west as the coast, according to the National Weather Service. That will send temperatures about 10 degrees above normal in many areas, which could set new daily records, a Weather Service forecast stated.
“The main message is: Regardless of whether we are meeting or exceeding records, this is an extreme heat event that will take place,” said Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for much of the area, outside of the coast, from Friday through Sunday.
Forecasters are calling for highs of 95 to 110 degrees in the valleys, with portions of the Antelope Valley potentially reaching 115 degrees, and 100 to 110 across the Inland Empire and High Desert, with the low deserts potentially nearing 120 degrees.
Overnight temperatures won’t fall much below 70 degrees in many locations near Los Angeles, which will increase the risk of heat stress, Cohen said.
Humidity levels dipped through Wednesday, allowing for more overnight cooling, which provided a bit of relief, forecasters said. But models suggest that moisture could return later in the week and into the weekend, according to the Weather Service.
The majority of Southern California, except for the immediate coastline, will see an enhanced risk of large wildfires Friday through Sunday, when conditions will be hottest and driest, said Kristen Stewart, meteorologist with the U.S. Forest Service. Areas of particular concern include the foothills of the San Joaquin Valley and the region’s lower mountain areas, she said.
“Our fuels have been drying out over time and are at pretty much critical levels right now,” she said.
Forecasters are calling for a slow cooling trend starting Sunday but warned that temperatures would still be above normal and would remain that way for the foreseeable future as the high pressure persists.
Southern California has seen a hot and unusually muggy summer, in part due to warm ocean temperatures.
Such long-lasting events worsen the stress heat puts on people’s bodies, and so does humidity, which can also render some solutions like taking cover in the shade less effective, Turner said.
Climate change from the burning of fossil fuels has resulted in hotter, more frequent heat waves, said David Eisenman, professor of medicine and co-director of the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions.
“Also, importantly, the nighttime doesn’t cool down like it used to, so our bodies are not able to recover in the same way,” he said.
In addition to causing death and illness directly, extreme heat can exacerbate heart, lung and kidney disease, as well as mental health problems, he said.
People can lessen the stress by staying inside somewhere that has air conditioning, taking the shadiest route possible when spending time outside, and submerging themselves in water — even if it’s just a cold foot bath, Turner said. She calls the recommendations the “big three.”
“Those are the ones that can reliably make your body work less hard to cool itself down,” she said.
Cohen, of the Weather Service, said that people should also stay hydrated and refrain from leaving children or pets in vehicles. Those who must be outside are encouraged to wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and limit strenuous activities to the early morning or evening, he said.
Forecasters warned that those seeking to escape the heat with a trip to the beach should take care, as a large south swell from Hurricane Genevieve will continue to result in big waves. Southern California lifeguards reported performing thousands of rescues last weekend amid crowded conditions, rough surf and strong rip currents.
A high surf advisory is in effect through Saturday evening, with forecasters warning the risks are especially acute for south-facing beaches, such as from Manhattan Beach to Port Hueneme along the Malibu coast, and from Long Beach to the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
The Weather Service also issued a coastal flood advisory for the Ventura and L.A. County coasts from Wednesday evening through Friday due to the swell.
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