Southern California heat wave: See the high temps for this week

LOS ANGELES - A severe and dangerous heat wave will blanket most of Southern California beginning Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Residents are advised to adjust plans for outdoor activities and review wildfire evacuation routes, especially in mountain and foothill areas.

Multi-day heat wave

What we know:

On Wednesday, increased heights combined with a weak onshore flow will bump up temperatures by 4 to 8 degrees, with some areas seeing temperatures up to 8 degrees above normal, according to the NWS. Max temperatures in the valleys will be in the mid-90s to 106 degrees. 

Temperatures are expected to peak on Thursday, with a combination of warm overnight lows and high daytime temperatures creating dangerous heat conditions. 

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According to the latest forecast, Woodland Hills will peak at 109 degrees and downtown Los Angeles' temperatures will be close to record levels, the NWS said.

"The combination of warm overnight lows and these daytime highs will result in dangerous heat condition across much of the area," forecasters said.

Dangerous fire weather conditions

What we know:

There will be a high fire danger associated with this heat event, particularly in the mountains and foothills, the NWS said.

Residents living in high-fire danger areas should review their evacuation plans and stay informed of the latest weather alerts.

"While widespread strong winds are not anticipated with this upcoming heat wave, the hot temperatures, low humidities, increased instability, locally breezy conditions (mainly across mountains, foothills, and canyons), and critically dry fuels will bring the threat of large plume-dominated fires (especially in the mountains and foothills), capable of rapid fire growth and explosive fire behavior," according to the NWS.

Weather alerts issued

Local perspective:

A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 9 a.m. Wednesday to 9 p.m. Saturday due to the "unseasonably hot and unstable air mass capable of producing extreme fire behavior," the NWS said. The warning applies to the Santa Clarita Valley, San Gabriel Mountains, Antelope Valley foothills, and the 5 and 14 freeway corridors. Those are the areas expected to face "unseasonably hot, high temperatures, generally 95 to 110 degrees," combined with humidity levels as low as 8%, according to the NWS.

An Extreme Heat Warning is in effect from 11 a.m. Thursday to 9 p.m. Saturday in the Santa Clarita Valley, western Santa Monica Mountains, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Mountains, the Antelope Valley and foothills, the San Gabriel Valley and the 5 and 14 freeway corridors. 

The eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area and the inland coastal area, including downtown, will be under an extreme heat warning from 11 a.m. Thursday through 9 p.m. Friday, with temperatures expected to range from 95 to 105 degrees.

The Palos Verdes Hills will be under a less severe heat advisory from 11 a.m. Thursday to 9 p.m. Friday, although temperatures could also reach as high as 105 degrees.

Local, state response

What they're saying:

Mayor Karen Bass has directed city personnel throughout Los Angeles to take all necessary steps to combat the conditions that will accompany the heat wave.

"Ahead of expected high temperatures later this week, City Departments are taking action to keep Angelenos safe," said Bass. "I encourage Angelenos to stay cool, stay hydrated, check on neighbors, and know that resources are available citywide to help keep you safe."

According to a statement from the mayor's office, a coordinated effort to manage any heat emergencies was underway including, "the Mayor's Office of Public Safety, Emergency Management Department, LAFD, LAPD, Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), and other City Departments to ensure all are ready to respond as needed."

The Los Angeles Fire Department said it is monitoring the forecast and making necessary preparations to meet emergency demands during the heat wave. 

Additionally, Gov. Gavin Newsom's Office of Emergency Management Tuesday announced the pre-deployment of resources to Los Angeles County to contend with heightened fire danger.

According to Newsom's office, a total of 10 fire engines, two water tenders, two bulldozers, one helicopter, two hand crews, three dispatchers and one incident management team have been pre-deployed in Los Angeles County.

"These efforts ensure that resources are ready to respond quickly, minimizing the potential impact of new fires," according to Newsom's statement. "This proactive approach has proven to be a critical component of California's wildfire response strategy, reducing response times and containing fires before they escalate into major incidents."

In addition to resources pre-deployed by Cal OES, CAL FIRE is also ready to respond to any incident that arises.

"CAL FIRE remains fully staffed and prepared across the state as we anticipate increased temperatures," said CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler. "Our dedicated team is committed to safeguarding communities and minimizing wildfire risk."

List of cooling centers

Local perspective:

Los Angeles will also open augmented cooling centers throughout the city and hundreds of locations for relief from the heat.

For location and hours of operation, visit laparks.org/reccenter and lapl.org/branches.

The City is also opening the following augmented cooling centers that are accessible to people with disabilities and will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the days listed below:

• Wednesday, August 20 - Saturday, August 23, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
• Canoga Park Senior Citizen Center (7326 Jordan Ave., Canoga Park, CA 91303)
• North Hollywood Senior Citizen Center (5301 Tujunga Ave., North Hollywood, CA 91601)
• Thursday, August 21 - Friday, August 22, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
• Pecan Recreation Center (145 S. Pecan St., Los Angeles, CA 90033)
• Algin Sutton Recreation Center (8800 S. Hoover St., Los Angeles, CA 90044)

Chance of thunderstorms

What's next:

A monsoonal flow on Friday will bring a slight chance of thunderstorms to the mountains of Ventura and Los Angeles counties, as well as the Antelope Valley.

This brings the risk of both dry lightning and flash flooding, the NWS warned. 

The thunderstorm threat will continue on Sunday over the eastern San Gabriel Mountains. 

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