LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The heat wave broiling the Southland since last week is persisting today, and special alerts issued by the National Weather Service were extended by at least one more day -- until tonight.
“Excessively hot conditions will continue through Friday, with areas of smoke (from wildfires) and dense fog over portions of coastal waters,'' according to the National Weather Service. It will cool some this weekend into next week, but temperatures will remain above normal.
Excessive heat warnings scheduled to expire Thursday night will remain in effect until 10 p.m. Friday in the Santa Clarita, San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys, with forecasters warning of “dangerously hot conditions.'' The warning will also be in effect until 10 p.m. Friday in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountains and the Antelope Valley.
An excessive warning in Orange County expired Thursday night as scheduled.
A less serious heat advisory, which was also scheduled to expire Thursday night, will be in effect until 10 p.m. Friday in the L.A. County coastal region, which includes beach cities, metropolitan Los Angeles, the Downtown area and the Hollywood Hills.
The NWS anticipated “daytime highs and overnight lows to be similar to a couple of degrees lower'' than Thursday.
“There is an increased risk for heat related illnesses for most, but especially to sensitive populations like the very young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and outdoor workers,'' the NWS warned on its website.
No additional Flex Alerts calling for energy conservation were in effect Thursday and none were on tap yet for Friday. The alerts were in effect each afternoon this week, but conservation efforts and favorable weather conditions contributed to avert rolling power blackouts, like those that occurred late last week when the heat wave began.
Several cooling centers remain open across Los Angeles County for those without air conditioning, but their capacity was limited due to social distancing requirements amid the coronavirus pandemic. Their locations can be found at lacounty.gov/heat. Information about cooling center in Los Angeles can be found by calling 311 or visiting laparks.org/emergency/cooling-center-activation.
Sunny skies were forecast in L.A. County today, along with highs of 82 at LAX; 86 in Avalon; 88 in Long Beach; 90 on Mount Wilson; 91 in Downtown L.A.; 94 in San Gabriel; 96 in Burbank and Pasadena; 100 in Saugus; 102 in Woodland Hills; 106 in Palmdale; and 107 in Lancaster. Temperatures will be a few degrees lower Saturday. Triple-digit temperatures will last in the Antelope Valley at least through Thursday.
Partly cloudy skies were forecast along the Orange County coast, along with sunny skies in inland areas and the Santa Ana Mountains, and highs of 81 in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and San Clemente; 86 on Santiago Peak; 89 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 91 in Fullerton and at Fremont Canyon; 92 in Irvine; 93 in Yorba Linda, Anaheim and Mission Viejo; and 94 at Trabuco Canyon. Highs in the 90s will persist through at least Thursday.
Photo: Getty Images