A mini heat wave is headed for the Southland starting today, but Long Beach will escape the worst of it, with temperatures forecast for the mid-80s across much of the city.
The National Weather Service said a “noticeable warming trend” will start today, with the heat spell peaking on Wednesday and Thursday.
Along the coast in Long Beach, that looks like highs of 80 today, 81 Wednesday and 83 Thursday. Further inland at Long Beach Airport, temperatures are expected to hit 85 today, 86 Wednesday and 87 Thursday.
Forecasters said there may be dense, patchy fog in the morning before clear skies and light breezes in the afternoon.
Other areas will be significantly hotter. Many will be 5 to 10 degrees above normal, according to the NWS.
Starting Tuesday, highs in the valleys are expected to range between the mid-90s to around 103 — while Woodland Hills, traditionally among the hottest spots in the San Fernando Valley, was looking at a 20%-30% chance of reaching 106 degrees, forecasters said.
Meanwhile, areas more than 10 miles inland were expected to be in the 80s to around 90, while areas farther inland were looking at a forecast of 100-106 degrees and even a 20% chance of topping out at 108.
The culprit, according to the weather service, was a high-pressure system over Arizona that’s expanding westward into Southern California.
“Weakening onshore flow and subsidence aloft from the strengthening high-pressure system will squash the marine layer to under 1,000 feet by Wednesday and bring significant warming to inland areas and minor warming to coastal areas,” the NWS said.
Fire conditions were “seasonably elevated” Monday and were expected to be elevated further Tuesday into early next week — with brief “critical fire weather conditions” in interior regions. There was also an air quality alert in effect.
As always, health officials warn that, during heat waves, people should take precautions such as limiting outdoor activities, seeking out shade and staying hydrated.
Pets should also be kept in shady areas and given ample water. In addition, the public is reminded to never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles for even a minute, as the interior of vehicles can quickly reach lethal temperatures.
After the heat spell breaks, forecasters expect some weekend cooling, followed by another bout of above-average temps early next week.
City News Service and staff writer Jeremiah Dobruck contributed to this report.