Los Angeles County is heading into an extreme heat watch as temperatures are expected to climb on Tuesday and peak on Thursday, when forecasters say the week’s hottest weather will hit. Some parts of SoCal could see triple-digit temperatures, with 101 degrees possible in Woodland Hills and 97 in Van Nuys.
For readers searching now, the warning matters because the heat is arriving just as summer begins to settle in and it could stretch through the week. Temperatures are expected to land in the high 80s in Long Beach and Los Angeles, but the National Weather Service says widespread heat advisories are also possible if the hotter readings spread farther than expected.
Ryan Kittell said those kinds of temperature warm-ups are typical heading into July, but this one lands on a countywide scale and could make outdoor plans uncomfortable fast. Mike Wofford said the agency has briefed city and county officials on the heat conditions for next week, and he said heat effects at gatherings might be significant because of the high volume of people and because some attendees may not be used to SoCal weather.
The heat is only part of the problem. Heavy surf, high tides and rip currents are expected to last at least until Thursday, and the National Weather Service is anticipating a long-period swell later this week. Wofford said warmer ocean temperatures are part of the El Niño weather pattern, though he said El Niño’s effects will kick in fully later in the summer.
That leaves a short but important stretch for people in Los Angeles County: the hottest stretch arrives mid-week, the beaches stay dangerous through Thursday, and anyone spending time outside will need water, shade or air conditioning. The forecast does not point to a one-day spike so much as a run of heat and surf hazards that could shape the week’s gatherings and travel plans.
