The National Weather Service escalated heat warnings across Southern California on Monday, Aug. 24, with alerts covering Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Holmby Hills now stretching through Saturday evening, Aug. 29, as forecasters call this the hottest week of the year.
Temperatures are running 10 to 15 degrees above normal, and the NWS has layered three tiers of alerts over the Los Angeles area: a heat advisory through 10 a.m. Wednesday for downtown L.A., an extreme heat watch from 10 a.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Saturday and, in the most dangerous zones, an extreme heat warning signaling life-threatening conditions.
Downtown Los Angeles hit 96 degrees on Sunday, Aug. 23, and the NWS forecast calls for highs of 96 to 98 through the week. Based on that regional forecast, Beverly Hills and the hillside communities can expect similar mid-to-upper-90s heat, while inland valleys reach 100 to 110 degrees. Some of the hottest areas could hit 112. Overnight lows in the 70s offer little relief.
"For much of L.A., this will likely be the hottest [week] of the year," Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the NWS Oxnard office, told the Los Angeles Times on Sunday. "It will be warm Monday, then really crank up Tuesday. … In the valleys, we're looking at anything between 100 and 110."
The heat is not new. KTLA meteorologist Henry DiCarlo reported Monday that temperatures have been consistently above average since approximately July 6, a stretch of nearly seven weeks. He warned the pattern will persist well beyond this week, with above-average temperatures likely through mid-September and a warm fall ahead.
A brief cooldown of about 10 degrees is expected around Sunday, Aug. 30, but forecasters say conditions will remain above normal.
Fire danger rising
The NWS warned of dangerous fire conditions tied to the extended dry heat. High pressure aloft is driving compressional warming, and a shift to northerly winds, while not a Santa Ana event, still elevates fire risk across the canyons above Bel Air and Holmby Hills.
"We do have a history of large fires when it gets this hot," Kittell said.
The agency urged residents to be cautious with anything that could spark a fire.
Protecting yourself
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warns that heat kills more people annually in the U.S. than floods, storms and lightning combined. Those most at risk include older adults, young children, outdoor workers and people with chronic medical conditions.
Residents without air conditioning can find free cooling centers by visiting ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or calling 211.
Call 911 immediately if someone shows signs of heat stroke: body temperature of 103°F or higher, confusion, dizziness, nausea, passing out, rapid pulse, or hot, red skin.
