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Your SoCal Weather Report For July 18: Hot, Hot, Hot!
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Courtesy NWS
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The heat wave continues through the week, though the marine layer is keeping coastal areas cooler.
Quick Facts
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- Today’s weather: Warm, sunny
- Beaches: mid 70s
- Mountains: upper 80s
- Inland: 90s to 100 in Riverside
- Warnings and advisories: Excessive heat warning, Air quality alert
Coastal highs from L.A. to Orange County will stay in the mid-70s this afternoon. Long Beach will see a high of 80.
Meanwhile, it will be in the mid to upper 80s in the L.A. basin. The San Gabriel Valley will be in the lower 90s and the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys will see temperatures in the upper 90s, with the hottest parts getting up to around 102.
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Antelope Valley highs will top out at 106, and it'll be about 10 degrees hotter than that in the Low Desert.
About those advisories
Here are the places under an excessive heat warning until Saturday at 8 p.m.:
- Apple and Lucerne Valley
- Coachella Valley
- San Diego County Deserts and the San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning
An Air Quality Alert initially set to expire Tuesday at 8 p.m. has been extended through Saturday. The South Coast Air Quality Management District says as high temperatures persist, air quality will reach "Unhealthy" levels throughout the inland areas of L.A., Orange and Riverside counties.
In the Lake Arrowhead area and localized areas of San Bernardino, the agency says air quality will reach "Very Unhealthy" levels.
Poor air quality can cause respiratory problems for children, older adults and people wii pre-existing lung problems.
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OZONE ADVISORY (Tuesday, July 18th - Saturday, July 22nd): elevated smog levels expected as high temperatures are predicted to persist through the week: https://t.co/Y158OoQ1rv pic.twitter.com/bIz6um0Keb
— South Coast AQMD (@SouthCoastAQMD) July 18, 2023
Resources and tips
Staying safe in the heat
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- 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
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Protect a pet from excessive heat
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- 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
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Protect a human from excessive heat
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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:
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- 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)
Tips to stay cool
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- 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
This day in history
On July 18, in 2005, it was 94 degrees in Big Bear Lake, the highest recorded temperature for the San Bernardino County mountain community.
Things to do
- Risk!: Watch people tell true stories they never thought they’d share (in public, no less). Hosted by storyteller and author David Crabb, with performances by Lindsey Mallard, Jonathan Bradley Welch, Katy Townsend and Anastasia Washington.
COST: $20; MORE INFO
Check out our full list of things to do this week.
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