The warmest day in an extended stretch of extreme heat arrives Thursday when widespread triple-digit temperatures are in the forecast for Southern California.
Triple-digit highs are expected in the high desert and parts of the San Fernando Valley with low 90s in the downtown LA forecast.
“Today is going to be the peak of the heat, and the temperatures won’t take long to feel hot,” said NBC4 meteorologist Belen De Leon. “Those temperatures just keep rising.”
In Santa Clarita, the temperature at 7 a.m. was 70 degrees and expected to reach 80 by 9 a.m. before rocketing to 103 degrees by early afternoon.
Here are some of Thursday’s high temperatures.
South Bay: Upper 80s
Irvine: 88
Anaheim: 94
Lancaster: 106
Victorville: 107
Van Nuys: 102
Big Bear: 86
Hemet: 106
Temecula: 99
Riverside: 104
San Bernardino: 107
Downtown LA: 91
Thousand Oaks: 91
“Plus, the humidity is going to make it feel even hotter,” De Leon said.
Heat advisories and an extreme heat warning took effect Wednesday.
The heat advisory for the Los Angeles County valleys and mountains, effective through 8 p.m. Monday, was issued with highs of 97 to 107 degrees and unusually warm overnight temperatures in the forecast. The advisory covers the Santa Clarita Valley, the San Fernando Valley, the San Gabriel Valley, the Santa Susana Mountains, the Interstate 5 corridor, the western and eastern San Gabriel Mountains, the western and eastern Antelope Valley foothills and other mountain communities.
The Antelope Valley will be under an extreme heat watch to an extreme heat warning effective through 8 p.m. Monday. Highs there are expected to range from 100 to 108 degrees.
The heat advisory for the Los Angeles County inland coast, including downtown Los Angeles, will remain in effect through 8 p.m. Monday, with highs of 88 to 96 degrees.
Overnight temperatures also are expected to remain well above normal in many valleys.
Widespread moderate to high heat risk is in the forecast through Monday.
Wildfire risk will be especially high in the mountains and foothills.
Ozone advisory
Adding to the health safety concerns, an ozone advisory will take effect Thursday for parts of Los Angeles County and remain in effect through Monday evening. The South Coast Air Quality Management District said the advisory will be in effect from 10 a.m. Thursday until 8 p.m. Monday.
Air quality is expected to reach unhealthy for sensitive groups or higher in the San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley, with unhealthy conditions or worse possible in the Santa Clarita Valley, according to the South Coast AQMD.
Officials urged children, older adults and people with asthma or other respiratory conditions to limit prolonged outdoor exertion when air quality reaches unhealthy levels.
LA County beach warnings
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued ocean water warnings for the following locations.
Montana Avenue storm drain at Santa Monica Beach, 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain.
Mother’s Beach in Marina del Rey, entire swim area.
Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, entire swim area.
Castlerock storm drain at Topanga County Beach, 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain.
Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu, 100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon.
Santa Monica Pier, 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.
Heat safety tips
Stay hydrated! The more hydrated you are, the more effective your body will be at keeping you cool. Drink water – not fizzy and alcoholic drinks, which will dehydrate you.
Avoid exercise in the middle of the day. If you need to exercise outside, do it early in the morning when the temperature is lower.
Wear lightweight, light-colored natural fabrics like cotton and linen, as these will help your skin breathe and let your sweat evaporate, cooling you down.
We sweat around half a pint daily from both feet (and we wonder why they stink!), so if you can, wear sandals or flip-flops to let your foot sweat evaporate.
Use a fan to circulate air from open windows. Keep your blinds or curtains drawn during the day, so your home doesn’t heat up while you’re out. Turn off big appliances and help prevent brown-outs!
To cool down quickly, run your wrists under a cold tap or keep a water spray in the fridge for a quick cooling spritz to the face.
Keep some wet wipes in your bag so you can freshen up your hands, face and neck if you get hot or clammy.
Want to stay cool at night? One way is to wash your feet in cool water or take a cold shower before bedtime – especially if you get hot during the night or have hot sweats.
To cool down in bed, try keeping your pillowcase or sheets in a plastic bag in the fridge during the day. Put them back on the bed at night. The fabric will stay cool when you’re trying to get to sleep.
And bring your pets in and make sure they have shade and water.
Be prepared for power outages and know where cooling centers are!