Southern California braced Monday for a heat wave that is expected to bring triple-digit temperatures to much of the region this week.
Driven by light winds and a heat dome over the southwestern United States, temperatures are expected to rise through the week before peaking Thursday and Friday. Parts of the Los Angeles Basin could reach 113 degrees by the weekend, while temperatures could climb to 119 in the Coachella Valley.
“We’re already in the warmest time of year climatically, and temperatures are going to be 10 to 15 degrees above normal in almost every area, from the beach to the deserts,” said meteorologist Ryan Kittell of the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office.
Labor Day was already scorching in many communities, with temperatures forecast to reach 100 degrees in the San Gabriel Valley and as high as 103 degrees in the western San Fernando Valley. Los Angeles neighborhoods closer to the water were expected to see relatively milder conditions, in the 80s and 90s.
Woodland Hills, traditionally the warmest spot in Los Angeles, is expected to see temperatures as high as 109 degrees on Tuesday, 110 on Wednesday and 113 on Thursday before dropping slightly to 111 on Friday.
In Santa Clarita, temperatures are expected to soar from 95 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday to 105 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday. In Palm Springs, temperatures of 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit on Labor Day are expected to give way to temperatures of 110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday.
Dangerous heat conditions have affected much of the country, including Nevada and Arizona. Kittell, of the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said that because the days are shorter than in June and July, desert areas get less sunlight and, as a result, there are fewer temperature differences between them and coastal communities.
He said people who live near the beach and don’t have air conditioning may not be prepared for the heat.
“Make plans now to stay cool,” Kittell said.
Temperatures will drop slightly over the weekend, but it is not yet clear when the heat wave will end.
While the heat is uncomfortable, it’s not expected to break any records this week. The record for the first week of September was set in 2020, when temperatures reached 121 degrees in Woodland Hills.
