LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Southland's first heat wave of 2020 is almost a week old today, and highs in several communities will again climb into the 90s, as they did Friday, forecasters said.
Today's temperatures will generally be 10-15 degrees above normal, said National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall. He said the one somewhat unusual aspect of the heat wave, which began last Wednesday, is that it showed up a little earlier than usual.
Offshore, conditions will remain hazardous, according to the NWS. A gale warning has been allowed to elapse, but a small craft advisory urging inexperienced sailors in small vessels to remain in port will be in effect until 3 p.m. Wednesday.
The powerful winds that have been sweeping the region for several days are dying down, although a wind advisory will remain in force in the San Gabriel Mountains until 9 a.m.
At 1 a.m. today the weather service released a summary of the strongest wind gusts recorded in Southern California in the previous 24 hours, including 64 mph on Whitaker Peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, 43 mph at Poppy Park in the Antelope Valley, 40 mph at Castaic Lake in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The weather service forecast sunny skies in L.A. County today and highs of 78 degrees in Avalon and at LAX; 79 on Mount Wilson; 80 in Long Beach; 85 in Downtown L.A.; 89 in Burbank and San Gabriel; 90 in Pasadena; and 94 in Palmdale, Lancaster, Saugus and Woodland Hills. Communities in the 90s will revert to the 80s Wednesday and remain there at least through Monday.
The NWS forecast sunny skies in Orange County today and highs of 67 degrees in Laguna Beach; 69 in Newport Beach and San Clemente; 77 on Santiago Peak; 78 at Fremont Canyon; 81 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet and in Mission Viejo; 83 at Trabuco Canyon; and 84 in Fullerton, Yorba Linda and Anaheim. Temperatures will remain about the same through Monday.
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