SoCal Braces For Heatwave, Bad Air Quality This Week

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — After a relatively tepid start to summer, things are about to heat up considerably in Southern California this week, weather officials warn.

A heat wave is headed for the region, with temperatures expected to "warm up sharply" by Wednesday and Thursday to around 10 degrees above normal — especially in the inland communities, the National Weather Service said Monday in its forecast discussion.

Meanwhile, smoke from the Gifford fire and other blazes burning in the state was impacting the air quality on Monday and was expected to loom over the Southland this week.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District is predicting air pollution levels from "moderate" for coastal areas and "unhealthy for sensitive groups" to "unhealthy" in the inland areas.

"Wildfires can often cause very high air pollution levels that are harmful to your health. Protect your health by taking steps before, during, and after a wildfire to reduce how much pollution you are breathing," AQMD officials wrote.

Gusty sundowner winds are also expected throughout the state, the weather service said.

Southern Californians will experience a brief reprieve Tuesday before temperatures rise, with forecasters predicting a three- to six-degree cooler trend.

Temperatures will be elevated Wednesday through Friday, with the hottest day anticipated on Thursday, the NWS said.

"Most areas will end up five to ten degrees above normal," forecasters wrote. "Two exceptions will be the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley and Calabasas area, where max temps will be 10 to 12 degrees above normal."

However, the deserts will "sizzle," with the heat reaching 105 to 107 degrees.

In many parts of Riverside County, the weather service says an "extreme heat warning" will be in effect from Wednesday through Friday, with temperatures expected to push into triple digits across the region.

Here's what's expected in various SoCal cities on Thursday, anticipated to be the hottest day of the heatwave:

Los Angeles: 92 degrees
Long Beach: 87 degrees
Mission Viejo: 90 degrees
Newport Beach: 79 degrees
Banning: 102 degrees
Palm Desert: 116 degrees
San Diego: 83 degrees
Santee: 94 degrees

The heat wave will follow a lukewarm and gloomy start to summer, with the region looking more like spring than summer during July.

While temperatures remained normal to seasonal averages throughout July, for many across the normally sunny Southland, this summer has felt gloomier than usual.

That was likely thanks to that persistent marine layer, which brought extended stretches of morning cloud cover and coastal drizzle — especially in neighborhoods closer to the ocean. While inland areas may eventually reach typical summer highs, the slow warmups and gray starts have made the season feel unusually mild for residents from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.

Last weekend, Reddit users in the Los Angeles subreddit discussed the July gloom.

"Nearly every day we've had some form of gloom and overcast mornings. The daytime temps, at least in WeHo, haven't seemed to go beyond 75F all that much. Early evenings feel cold," user Guerito Aarhus wrote. "I get May Gray/June Gloom, but for nearly being August, this is bizarre. I haven't wanted to go to the beach whatsoever. Anybody else feel the same?"

What followed was a barrage of responses, cheekily condemning the poster's lament.

"First rule of fight club, you do not talk about how it's only 80 instead of 110," The Wicked Barnacle posted.

Bboy818 said: "OP just summoned our worst heat wave yet for the rest of July and August."