Some relief from the latest summer heat wave is in store for Southern California’s coastal areas, with slightly cooler conditions expected this week.
The coasts and coastal valleys will cool by 1 to 2 degrees each day through Wednesday, although temperatures will remain above normal, according to the National Weather Service. Some coastal areas will see pockets of dense fog, the forecast states.
Lower-elevation mountain and far interior areas will continue to see highs of 100 to 110 degrees, the Weather Service said. Heat advisories are in place through Wednesday. Some areas will also see gusty winds, with gusts of 35 to 40 mph in the Antelope Valley, according to the weather service.
The weather service is predicting elevated to briefly critical fire weather conditions in the interior valleys, mountains and deserts through Saturday due to hot, dry and breezy conditions, including long periods of single-digit humidity levels. Should a fire start, there’s an increased risk that it will spread rapidly and send up a large vertical plume, which can result in erratic fire behavior, according to the weather service.
There’s a 20% to 30% chance that interior areas will see red-flag conditions, in which critical fire weather lasts for six or more hours, at some point between Tuesday and Saturday, according to the weather service. The highest-risk areas include the Interstate 5 corridor, the interior mountains and valleys of San Luis Obispo County, the Cuyama Valley and the interior mountains of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, the forecast states.
Forecasters expect humidity levels will increase by Saturday, which could limit nighttime cooling and combine with warm temperatures to prompt another round of heat advisories.
Southern California has endured a hot and unusually muggy summer, with a string of heat waves that has had forecasters and public health authorities warning of an increased risk of heat-related illness.
Scientists say such heat waves are becoming hotter and more frequent as the burning of fossil fuels causes the climate to warm.
Coastal areas have also seen dangerous rip currents and elevated surf in recent weeks amid multiple southerly swells, most recently due to Tropical Storm Genevieve.
On Saturday, L.A. County closed several restrooms and an access road to Point Dume Beach after high tides and surf caused “extreme erosion,” according to the Department of Beaches and Harbors. The high surf also forced the cancellation of two Pacific Surfliner trains, which run from San Luis Obispo to San Diego.
By Monday, the dangerous conditions had largely subsided, according to the weather service.
Times staff writer Noah Haggerty contributed to this report