A minor heat wave is predicted to arrive in Southern California in time for the weekend, completing the region’s transformation from cold and overcast to hot and sunny.
“To get the heat this late in the season is not unusual, but it is going to be hot and will be a shock to the system. We haven’t seen temperatures like this in months,” KTLA Meteorologist Henry DiCarlo said Thursday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts that high pressure will continue to develop over the area through Sunday, with Friday and Saturday being the hottest days.
On those days, afternoon highs are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees warmer than usual, with some parts of the Inland Empire seeing temperatures as high as 98 degrees.
Authorities advised residents to limit their outside activities during the afternoon heat waves and to drink plenty of water.
“Closer to the coast, continued onshore flow will keep the warming trend at some beaches and coastal areas moderated,” the NWS stated in its Thursday morning forecast.
Although no wind advisories have been issued, some inland regions are predicted to experience wind gusts of up to 25 mph from Thursday through Saturday.
“So, this is good news. We’re hot and breezy, but we want to stay away from those excessive gusty winds. A hot day with strong windy conditions and wind advisories, that would really pump up our concerns for fires,” Henry said.
Next week, an onshore flow is predicted to get stronger and return to the valleys with cooler weather, fog, and low clouds.
