Temperatures pushed their way into the 90s across much of the Southland Wednesday, along with gusty winds and low humidity that left the area prone to wildfires as forecasters said things will get even hotter on Thursday.
Forecasters predicted the mercury will reach 99 in downtown Los Angeles Thursday and remain in the 90s at local beaches.
Wednesday’s hot weather sparked a brush fire that by late afternoon had scorched more than 20 acres and threatened some homes in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley near Lake View Terrace.
A red flag warning denoting a high risk of wildfire will remain in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday in the San Gabriel Mountains in L.A. and Ventura counties, the Angeles and Los Padres national forests, the Santa Monica Mountains, the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, interior Orange County, and the L.A. County coast, which includes beach cities, metropolitan L.A.. and the Hollywood Hills.
“A high (pressure system) will bring gusty offshore winds through Thursday with temperatures at record levels,” according to the National Weather Service, which noted that cooler temperatures are on the horizon.
“Then next week a large low will move in with possible precipitation from late Sunday to Monday with temperatures back to normal,” according to the NWS.
In the meantime, however, gusty winds will continue to blow through the area until Thursday night. Winds of 15 to 30 mph are expected, with gusts up to 45 mph in some valley and coastal areas and 55 mph in the mountains.
“Northeast winds will begin to diminish Thursday afternoon and night with much lighter winds on Friday, but widespread single-digit humidities will continue bringing continued elevated to possibly critical fire danger, especially for wind-prone mountain locations,” according to the NWS. “Widespread near-record high temperatures into the 90s with a few places reaching the low 100s for Thursday into Friday for the coasts and valleys will add to the fire danger.”
The NWS is forecasting a high temperature of 99 degrees in downtown Los Angeles Thursday — topping the 96 anticipated in typically sizzling Palm Springs. Woodland Hills and Long Beach are expected to top out at 100 degrees.
High temperatures will generally dip by about five degrees across the board on Friday, nearly 10 degrees more on Saturday, and back into the 70s by early next week.
–City News Service