Temperatures in Southern California are expected to rise almost every day this week to levels that will pose a danger to residents’ health and carry an increased likelihood that wildfires could spread rapidly.
“Generally there will be a notable uptick starting Wednesday where highs will be around the century mark if not over,” National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Adams said Sunday, June 30. “Then it looks like we will have another uptick on Friday. That will be a really, really hot day.”
One exception is the coast, when Independence Day revelers are expected to flock on Thursday. High temperatures there are forecast to reach the low 80s.
A large high-pressure system is responsible for the rise in temperatures, Adams said.
“High temperatures will be around 5 to 10 degrees above normal, with the greatest departure from normal in the far Inland valleys where highs will be in the low 100s,” the weather service said in its forecast discussion for the Inland Empire and Orange County.
“Low deserts will see highs of around 110 to 114 degrees, and the high deserts will be in the low 100s. The marine layer will help moderate temperatures at the coast into the western valleys, where highs will be in the upper 70s to around 90,” the NWS said.
The forecast shows a 22% chance of Palm Springs hitting 120 degrees or more by Friday.
Even the mountains won’t be spared from the heat, with high temperatures expected to reach the high 90s to over 100 below 6,000 feet.
Excessive heat watches and warnings are in effect for most of the week in the Apple, Lucerne and Coachella valleys, San Gorgonio Pass near Banning and the 14 Freeway corridor near the Antelope Valley.
The San Fernando Valley and Pasadena may not quite touch 100 degrees this week. The forecast calls for highs in the low 90s on Monday and Tuesday, rising on Wednesday and dropping down a bit on the Fourth of July, before increasing again on Friday and Saturday.
The hottest times of the day are generally between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Adams said.
“You have to be very careful how much time you spend outside,” Adams cautioned. “Stay cool, drink a lot of water and wear light and light-colored clothing. Ideally, you want to limit your outdoor time as much as possible, or at the very least find a shaded spot if you are going to be outside.”
The heat means that the bountiful vegetation spawned by record-breaking rainfall this winter will continue to dry rapidly, providing a ready and quick-burning fuel supply for flames.
“These drying fuels combined with the expected fire weather conditions and increased outdoor activities will cause the large fire threat to become high for areas away from the coast Tuesday through next weekend,” the forecast discussion said.
Fire authorities urge residents to visit ReadyForWildfire.org for tips on fire safety and creating evacuation plans.
