Your SoCal Weather Report For July 19: If You Like It Hot, That's What We Got

Gillian Morán Pérez is an associate producer for LAist’s early All Things Considered show.

Published Jul 19, 2023 8:12 AM

A geothermal map of Southern California with red, orange and purple shades representing temperatures.

Quick Facts

Today’s weather: Warm, sunny
Beaches: high 70s
Mountains: mid 80s, low 90s
Inland: 90s to 100s in the IE
Warnings and advisories: Excessive heat watch/heat warning

It's a few degrees warmer today for SoCal and that's just a preview of what's to come for the weekend.

A shallow marine layer is keeping the coast relatively cool. Highs at the beaches will be in the mid-70s in L.A. and Orange counties, except in Long Beach, where temperatures will be in the low 80s.

Temperatures in the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valleys will stay in the 90s, with the hottest areas reaching up to 98.

In Orange County, we're looking at highs in the upper 80s to mid-90s. and over 100 degrees in the Inland Empire.

About those advisories

An excessive heat watch has been issued for L.A. and Ventura counties. That watch ranges from the Antelope Valley all the way to the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains. This heat watch is in effect from today until Saturday at 8 p.m.

There's an excessive heat warning for San Bernardino County and Riverside County valleys and mountains, including the Coachella Valley, also in effect until Saturday at 8 p.m.

Look ahead

Significant heat will return for the desert, mountains, and valleys for Friday through Sunday. Highs will increase to 100-110 degrees in the hottest areas with 95-105 degrees across the coastal valleys and Santa Monica Mountains. #CAwx #LAheat pic.twitter.com/T2VMpEffs2
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) July 19, 2023

The National Weather Service is forecasting significant heat for the weekend across Southern California.

Temperatures in local mountains like the San Gabriels and the High Desert are expected to reach up to 110 degrees between Friday and Saturday.

The coastal valleys and Santa Monica Mountains can expect temperatures between 95 and 105 degrees on Friday and Saturday.

This creates critical fire weather conditions. We have tips on how to find the nearest cooling center and how to stay cool at home.

This day in history

On July 19, 2015, the remains of Hurricane Dolores touched San Diego, creating flash flooding and record rainfall.

Things to do

Next Slide Please: A PowerPoint Comedy Show: Usually PowerPoint presentations make us want to gouge our eyes out. But Next Slide Please lets comedians make PowerPoints about whatever they want — which should be a whole lot more entertaining. Presenting this week are Dylan Adler, Sudi Green, Andrew Michaan, Anna Garcia, Levi Macdougall, Annapurna Sriram and Mark Vigeant.

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

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