Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

Climate and Environment

How To Survive And Stay Cool In This Heat

An image of the downtown Los Angeles skyline with an orange sunset in the background.
Possible record-breaking temperature are forecast for Southern California.
(
Konstantin Sutyagin
/
Shutterstock
)

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

Unseasonably hot weather is expected this week throughout Southern California, with a heat advisory kicking in late Wednesday morning for parts of L.A. and Orange counties. Record-breaking temperatures are possible later in the week.

Now, how can Angelenos and other SoCal residents stay safe and cool this weekend? We've put together this short guide to make sure, as Nelly says, it doesn't get too "hot in herre"...

How Do I Stay Cool?

  • Make sure to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated (no, this doesn't include coffee or alcohol!). The CDC recommends 2-4 glasses of water every hour to prevent dehydration.
  • Wear light-weight and light colored clothes. Don't forget to bring a hat or umbrella to protect your face and wear sunscreen!
  • Avoid going out during the hottest hours of the day, if you can.

What Heat-Related Illnesses Should I Look Out For?

Chart outlining heat illness symptoms and what to do in each circumstance
(
Los Angeles County Public Health
)
Support for LAist comes from

Heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps all become common in extreme heat situations. Here's what to look out for:

  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Faintness
  • Headaches
  • Muscle cramps
  • Increased thirst

And in more severe cases...

  • Diminished judgment
  • Disorientation
  • Pale and clammy skin
  • Rapid, weak pulse
  • Fast, shallow breathing
  • Unconsciousness
  • Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
  • An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)

If you encounter a person experiencing these symptoms, move them to a cooler place immediately and try to lower their temperature with cool cloths or a cool bath. In situations of heat stroke, call 911 right away, as heat stroke is a medical emergency.

It's especially important to be mindful of high risk populations - this includes people 65 years and older, infants, young children, people with chronic medical conditions, people who have mental illness, and people taking certain medications.

Where Can I Go To Cool Off?

L.A. County has set up cooling centers across the county for those experiencing homelessness or those without air conditioning at home. To find your closest cooling center visit ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or dial 211.

How Do I Keep My Pets Safe?

  • Never leave your pets in the hot car: if you see a pet unattended in a hot car, call 911 immediately.
  • Avoid hot surfaces like asphalt that can burn your pets' paws.
  • Make sure they have enough shade and water.
  • Watch out for heat stress - this can include panting, excessive drooling, weakness, and reluctance to move.
  • Many cooling centers also allow pets! Call 211 to find out which ones allow your furry friends to tag along.

Anything Else I Can Do?

Also, don't forget to save energy when you can...

Support for LAist comes from
How You Can Save Energy
  • Set your air conditioning at 78 or higher. If you can turn it off and use a fan instead, even better. You can pre-cool your house to 72 in the morning hours when there is lower demand on the power system, then when you set it to 78 in the afternoon, it won’t be quite as unbearable.

  • Unplug “energy vampires” -- those appliances that are sucking power from the grid even when they are not being used, like a microwave oven, and phone chargers.

  • Close drapes and blinds to keep your home cooler inside. Turn off unneeded lights.

  • Wait until the early morning or late evening hours to run the washing machine or dishwasher, or vacuum.

  • If you have an electric car, don't charge it in those afternoon or evening hours

  • For those lucky enough to have a pool, do your part by turning off your pool pump.

Stay cool and stay safe this weekend, L.A.!

Updated April 6, 2022 at 9:57 AM PDT
This story was updated to note high temperatures forecast this week for Southern California.
Updated August 13, 2021 at 3:50 PM PDT
This story was updated to note a heatwave on Aug. 13, 2021.

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist