An unseasonable hot spell is descending on the Southern California region this week, bringing with it at least two bouts of potentially record-shattering heat.
A strengthening high-pressure atmospheric system, combined with winds out of the east, will send temperatures from 20 to 25 degrees above average — west of the mountains, at least — on Thursday and Friday, the National Weather Service’s San Diego office said.
“Many high temperatures records across much of area are likely to be tied or broken on Thursday and Friday,” the NWS added in a forecast discussion. “There will also be some record warm overnight temperatures on Thursday, mainly for the mountains and inland valleys, with many more on Friday.”
An NWS heat advisory for coastal and valley communities will be in effect from 10 a.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Friday.
Maximum temperatures readings on those two days will likely reach the low to mid-80s near the coast and the 90s across the inland valleys. The weekend will be cooler, but still unusually warm for this time of year.
Next week, however, even hotter conditions are expected to arrive, bringing all-time record temperatures for March in some locations, forecasters said.
In order to prevent heat-related health problems, drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun, limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening, take refuge in air-conditioned spaces if possible, and check in on potentially at-risk friends, relatives, or neighbors.
