Temperatures eased slightly across the Southland Saturday following a record-setting week-long heat wave, but forecasters said conditions will remain well above normal for the next several days.
Saturday’s highs reached the lower 90s in parts of the valleys and 88 degrees in downtown Los Angeles, with similar numbers expected through at least Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
“Tuesday through Thursday will be very warm days, but will not be record-breaking like last week’s,” the NWS said. “… Highs will continue in the 80s and 90s or 15 to 20 degrees above normal. There may be a need for heat advisories in the valleys but no warnings are anticipated.”
Forecasters said the ridge would weaken some on Friday, which will likely bring 3 to 5 degrees of cooling to the coasts and 1 to 3 degrees in the valleys. They also warned of patchy dense fog along the coast and coastal waters, particularly in the morning hours, as a shallow marine layer returns.
The heat wave that began intensifying on Monday saw record temperatures over several days. The following records were set on Friday:
— Anaheim reached 94 (breaking the record of 92 for that date set in 1997);
— Burbank reached 97 (breaking the record of 95 set in 1997);
— Downtown Los Angeles reached 96 (breaking the record of 93 set in 1997);
— Lancaster reached 95 (breaking the record of 89 set in 2004);
— Long Beach reached 91 (breaking the record of 90 set in 1997);
— Palmdale reached 95 (breaking the record of 91 set in 1997);
Overnight lows will also remain elevated this week, with most areas of the Southland hovering in the upper 50s and 60s.
The weather service also expressed “growing confidence” that the rest of the month will be dry, with some chance of light rain at the beginning of April.