Your SoCal Weather Report For July 14: The Heat Is On

Bring out the sweat bands. It's going to be hot, hot, hot all this week.

Quick Facts

Today’s weather: hot, sunny
Beaches: high 70s, 80 in Long Beach
Mountains: lower 90s to 110
Inland: Could hit triple digits
Warnings and advisories: Excessive heat watch warning

A prolonged heat wave is expected across the region through at least this weekend, thanks to a sprawling ridge of high pressure. A stubborn marine layer will likely protect many coastal areas from the worst of the heat and may support patchy dense fog at times.

The National Weather Service calls it a "significant heat event" that will bring hot weather and an elevated risk of wildfires.

Temperatures at the beaches will be in the 70s and into the 80s in the L.A. Basin and Orange County. Coastal Valleys will be in the 90s. The Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys and Riverside area will top out at around 113 degrees. Coachella Valley highs will hit 122.

Remember to stay safe, stay cool and check on your loved ones.

Ozone Warning

The air quality is forecasted to be unhealthy or very unhealthy starting today (Friday, July 14) in parts of Southern California—stretching from the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys into the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, through the Inland Empire into the Coachella Valley.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District's ozone advisory will end Tuesday night.

Warnings in place

A long duration heat wave is expected for much of #SoCal this coming week and into next weekend. Plan ahead so you can stay safe in the heat! Make sure your animals have access to shade and water! Never leave kids or pets in a parked car! #CAwx #LAheat pic.twitter.com/0YDCy4W9Sr
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) July 9, 2023

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat watch for through Tuesday, July 18, saying the hottest days will be this Friday and Saturday.

Weather forecasters are also saying that Death Valley temperatures soar up to 131 degrees this weekend.

Here are the list of areas under heat watch/advisory/warning:

Excessive heat warnings for the following areas

Antelope Valley reaching 113
Santa Clarita Valley reaching 108
San Gabriel Mountains reaching 108
Eastern and Western Antelope Valley foothills reaching 114
Apple and Lucerne Valleys reaching 115
San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys and the Inland Empire reaching 113
Coachella Valley, San Diego County deserts and San Gorgonio Pass near Banning reaching 122

Tips and resources

Tips to stay cool

Kiddie pool
Lotions in the fridge
Eat spicy foods in the basement (or on the floor) while wearing a damp shirt and listening to the rain setting on your white noise machine
Make sure ceiling fans are running counterclockwise
Wet paper towels. Fold into ankle and wrist cuffs. Freeze. Wear. Repeat.
Build a DIY AC
Build a mini cold air fan
Build an "evaporative cooler for immediate heat relief"
Make a barricade of fans and ice cubes
Go to an air-conditioned store and browse for as long as possible (Target is a good option for this).
Close all the curtains, preferably the heat-absorbing kind
Or open all the windows, depending on the breeze situation
Cool bath or shower twice a day
Wash your sheets before bed but don't dry them — put them on your bed damp (provided you're dealing with a dry heat)
Portable A/C unit

Staying safe in the heat

Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water or electrolyte-replacements
Drink cool water, not extremely cold water (which can cause cramps)
Avoid sweetened drinks, caffeine, and alcohol

Protect a pet from excessive heat

Never leave a pet or animal in a garage
Never leave a pet or animal in a vehicle
Never leave a pet or animal in the sun
Provide shade
Provide clean drinking water

Protect a human from excessive heat

Check in frequently with family, friends, and neighbors. Offer assistance or rides to those who are sick or have limited access to transportation. And give extra attention to people most at risk, including:

Elderly people (65 years and older)
Infants
Young children
People with chronic medical conditions
People with mental illness
People taking certain medications (i.e.: "If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot," says the CDC)

This day in history

On July 14, 1886, L.A. recorded its second highest 24-hour rainfall amount for July at just under a quarter inch.

Things to do

Orange County Fair starts today and runs through Aug. 13th
- Location: OC Fair & Event Center. 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
  Carnival rides, a petting zoo, games, action sports (demolition derby, rodeos and Monster Trucks), concerts (including Smokey Robinson, Gerardo Ortiz, Beck/Phoenix, Ne-Yo, Robin Thicke and Mario), exhibitions and farming workshops. The OC Fair is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission tickets must be purchased in advance. Some concerts and entertainment require additional ticket purchases.
  COST: $9 - $15 admission; MORE INFO

Check out our full list of things to do this week.

Hey, LA listener!