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Your SoCal weather report for Friday, July 5: Hottest day of the heatwave
Quick Facts
- Today’s weather: Scorching, sunny
- Beaches: 70s-80s
- Mountains: 90-100s
- Deserts: 110-121
- Inland: 97-107
- Warnings and advisories: Excessive Heat. Heat advisory. Red Flag Warning.
Happy Friday folks. Today is the hottest day of this heatwave that forecasters say will last into next week.
High desert temperatures will rise to 113 degrees, and up to a scorching 121 degrees for the low desert.
Inland areas will experience significant warming with highs up to 108 degrees for the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire, and in the low 110s for San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valley.
Orange County inland areas are still be a few degrees cooler than the Inland Empire and L.A. County, but still pretty hot — up to 96 degrees inland, 87 degrees for inland coast.
Expect temperatures to warm up at the beach as well — highs in the mid 70s to low 80s.
And if you decide to go hiking, take plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat as mountain highs will reach triple digits — up to 110 degrees for the western San Gabriel Mountains, between 106 to 108 degrees for Santa Monica and Santa Ana mountains.
Tonight's lows will drop to upper 60s for the coast, 71 degrees for inland areas, valleys and the high desert and 86 degrees for Coachella Valley.
About those heat warnings
Red flag warnings remain for the 5 Freeway corridor, Antelope Valley foothills and Ventura County mountains through Saturday evening.
And if you're heading to the beaches in L.A. or Orange counties, look out for strong swells and high surf, with sets up to 7 feet tall expected, mainly for the south facing beaches.
Forecasters say excessive heat warnings for the Southland will break the earliest by Saturday for the Inland Empire, Monday evening for the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valley, and by Wednesday evening for the deserts, Palmdale, Lancaster and the western San Gabriel Mountains.
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 this day in 1996, Dolly the Sheep became the first successfully cloned mammal.
Things to do
Looking for last minute Independence day plans? We got you covered.
- Lana Del Rey Night: It’s hard to believe Lana Del Rey’s third dreamy pop record, "Ultraviolence" came out ten years ago, but here we are, with the El Cid tribute night to prove it. Take a break from this cruel world and enter Lana Del Rey’s by getting your groove on to songs like "Brooklyn Baby," "Shades of Cool," and other mid-2010s pop hits, plus some unreleased tracks, too. Expect drag performances, custom cocktails, and more to enhance the vibe.
Check out our full list of things to do this weekend.