Heat wave reaches ‘the tail end’ in Southern California
The hottest streak on record in the Southern California area stretched into a new week Tuesday, the National Weather Service said, despite forecasts of more moderate temperatures and rain.
The heat wave, one of California’s hottest in recorded history, began on March 23, with temperatures reaching 105 degrees on at least eight major temperature records in Southern California.
Since then, the mercury has climbed to more than 100 degrees in some parts of the state, with dozens of records still to be set, including the daily high temperatures in Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino counties reaching 112, 110, 111, 108, and 107 degrees, respectively.
The latest run of hot weather is set to continue through the end of the week, when the NWS said it expects to see temperatures in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties to reach 110 degrees or more on Friday and Saturday and between 105 and 114 degrees on Sunday.
The heat wave will also continue through the end of the month, when the NWS said it expects to see temperatures in Riverside and San Bernardino counties to reach 110 degrees or more on Memorial Day weekend and between 105 and 114 degrees on July Fourth.
“This heat wave is going beyond what is usually seen at this time of the year,” NWS meteorologist Eric Blake said.
“However, we will stay focused and expect to get the occasional break.”
The heat did have a slight break Monday, when temperatures and humidity were slightly above average across California, the NWS said. But that was short-lived.
“We are back to the heat wave we haven’t seen in the past three years,” Blake said.
“It looks like the heat is going to continue until the end of the week.”
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