Major heat wave coming to Southern California

A more extreme heat wave is expected in much of Southern California this week. FILE PHOTO (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

LOS ANGELES – It was a hot day on Labor Day across Southern California, and even higher temperatures are expected later this week, forecasters said.

A more extreme heat wave is expected in much of the region with temperatures inching upward each day.

“Temperatures are expected to increase by a few degrees each day, with hazardous heat developing [mid-week] across most areas besides the beaches,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said Monday.

The high in Downtown Los Angeles reached the 90s on the Labor Day holiday. The days will be hotter in the valleys, where the Antelope Valley was already seeing triple-digit highs.

The Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys will also exceed 100 degrees beginning Tuesday, and the San Gabriel Valley by Thursday.

Nighttime temperatures will also be on the rise, remaining in the 70s in the valleys in the latter part of the week and into next weekend.

The hot, dry weather will also create elevated fire conditions across the mountains, valleys and deserts throughout the week.

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Forecasters are predicting temperatures at or near triple digits across Riverside County.

By Wednesday, the entire county will reach triple-digit temperatures that will rise a few degrees on Thursday and Friday, according to the NWS.

“We’ve been hinting at some hot weather expected later this week. Our confidence is increasing in seeing highs near 10 to locally 15 degrees above average,” the NWS posted on X. “The time is now to prepare for the incoming hot weather!”

Health officials reminded the public to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors, and to not leave young children or pets in unattended vehicles, where interiors reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has created an Extreme Heat Safety toolkit to provide resources and communication tools that can be shared, including the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

CDPH also develops heat guidance for schools, local health jurisdictions and other community service providers to protect Californians, particularly heat-vulnerable populations like children, students, older adults, the unhoused, outdoor workers and those with existing health conditions. (With CNS report)

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