After a brutal stretch of relentless heat across Southern California, relief is finally on the way.
A gradual cooling trend will lower temperatures across most of the region this week, according to the National Weather Service. Beginning Monday, temperatures will dip slightly — roughly one to three degrees — before progressively dropping throughout the week.
However, humidity and a risk of mountain and desert thunderstorms mean most residents won’t feel noticeable relief until Wednesday.
A heat advisory for much of Southern California aside from the coast expired at 8 p.m. on Sunday, but temperatures on Monday will still sizzle in some areas. Downtown L.A. is expected to reach 87 degrees, LAX will hit 79 degrees, and Burbank will reach 93 degrees, forecasters say.
(National Weather Service)
Thursday and Friday are expected to be the coolest days of the week, with temperatures ranging from the mid to high 80s in the Valley, roughly 80 degrees in downtown Los Angeles and in the low 70s near the coast. Temperatures in the Inland Empire will range from the mid to high 80s, high 80s in San Bernardino and high 70s to low 80s in the inland Orange County area.
There’s a greater depth of moisture on Tuesday, so areas in the high desert including Barstow and Victorville in San Bernardino County might get some monsoonal thunderstorms on Tuesday, the weather service office in San Diego said.
Despite the storm activity, fire risk remains low.
“With this particular pattern, it’s looking moist enough that we’re not terribly concerned with dry lightning strikes starting fires simply because it’s going to be a pretty moist atmosphere,” said meteorologist Miguel Miller, “and wherever the lightning strikes, it’s probably going to rain as well.”
Starting Monday evening through Wednesday night, minor coastal flooding is a risk for the beaches of Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
“Flooding of seawater is likely, around the time of high tide, over vulnerable low-lying coastal areas such as parking lots, beaches and walkways,” the weather service office in Oxnard said. “Significant damage to roads or structures is not expected.”
Looking ahead, temperatures in California and a swath of the West are expected to be near — or below — normal for the time of year through Aug. 19 even as the southern U.S. heats up, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Despite the upcoming relief in SoCal, weather officials urge residents to remain vigilant throughout the week and stay hydrated.
Anyone working or spending time outdoors is advised to take breaks and have a plan for where you can cool down.