Heat wave bringing triple digits to San Bernardino, Riverside counties this week; coastal areas spared

Heat wave bringing triple digits to San Bernardino, Riverside counties this week; coastal areas spared

by Josh Cain

Stay inside, if you can, and drink plenty of water, weather forecasters are saying this week, with another summer heat wave expected to bake Southern California.

A heat advisory was in effect for western San Bernardino and Riverside counties starting Tuesday and expected to last through Thursday,  National Weather Service officials said. Temperatures there will likely hit the upper 90s, with some vaulting into triple-digits, officials said.

An overall warming trend is expected over the next several days. Here are your forecast high temperatures for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Remember to partake in heat safety if you are going to be outdoors! #cawx pic.twitter.com/NxXJgmZpfQ

— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) August 12, 2019

No such warning was issued for coastal areas — temperatures were not expected to be quite as hot in Los Angeles and Orange counties, with highs in the 80s expected.

But the NWS warned residents should still seek shelter from the midday sun, and wear light-colored, light-weight clothing. And staying hydrated is a must.

“Overexposure to the heat can cause heat cramps and heat exhaustion to develop and, without intervention, can lead to heat stroke,” the NWS said in its alert. “Do not leave children or pets in parked vehicles.”

Wednesday could see the worst heat. NWS forecasts showed San Bernardino reaching 103 degrees. Highs of 101 degrees for Riverside and 100 for Ontario were expected.

Downtown Los Angeles could hit 90 degrees. In Orange County, Anaheim could see a high of 93 degrees and the temperature could reach 88 in Irvine.

Relief should come soon, said John Dumas, an NWS meteorologist in Oxnard.

“Friday is our cooling day,” Dumas said.

The heat advisory was in effect for most areas of the Inland Empire, from Chino in the west to Beaumont in the east, and south to Temecula. An excessive heat warning was in effect for desert areas, including Palm Springs and Indio.

Bringing this week’s heat is an upper-level, high-pressure weather system, officials said. That means air in the upper atmosphere is pushing down on the region, increasing temperatures. And without much of a sea breeze blowing in from offshore, conditions will get hotter and drier.

This is a different kind of weather pattern than what the region saw in late July, when strong offshore winds brought humidity to the area from Mexico. We won’t get quite as hot this time, Dumas said.

“This will not be as bad as other heat events we’ve had,” he said. “We won’t get as muggy as we did in July. We won’t be looking for the afternoon thunderstorms.”

Temperatures will cool off at night, but not by much.

“Overnight lows also remain warm (in the 70s) across portions of the valleys and mountains … adding to the heat discomfort,” the NWS said in its alert.

Temperatures were not expected to break any records for this time of year, Dumas said. He called the high-pressure system, followed by a few days of a cooling offshore breeze, a typical weather pattern for mid August.

The NWS also warned of an increased fire risk this week due to the hot and dry conditions.

All credit goes to Josh Cain Originally published on https://www.dailynews.com