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Longer, longer, hotter: what you need to know about heat waves
Californians, prepare yourself: A prolonged heat wave hit much of the state today and is expected to continue through the Fourth of July holiday weekend and into next week in some areas. This heat will also increase the risk of fires and may lead to power outages to prevent sparks from spreading.
The National Weather Service warned that dangerously high temperatures would hit much of Northern California and the Central Valley, as well as the inland valleys and mountains of Southern California and the deserts of the Southwest.
Weather officials warned that highs in the coastal valleys and deserts of Los Angeles County could reach 96 to 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Coastal areas could see temperatures reach the mid-90s.
Construction workers are braving 90 degree heat while building homes in Fontana.
(Robert Gautier/Los Angeles Times)
Other high temperatures expected this week include:
Highs in the Coachella Valley and San Diego County desert could reach 121 degrees. In the Antelope Valley, temperatures could reach 105 to 115 degrees. In Death Valley, highs could reach 125 degrees. Northern Humboldt County could see highs of 110 degrees or higher. Parts of Trinity and Lake Counties could see highs of 115 degrees.
Extreme heat may not get as much news coverage as hurricanes or wildfires, but it kills more people than any other weather event.
More than 2,300 people died in the United States last year from extreme heat, a record high, according to an Associated Press analysis — a figure that’s probably a huge underestimate, dozens of experts told AP reporters.
An estimated 395 people died in California in the 2022 heat wave, according to state health officials.
Extreme heat disproportionately affects children, the elderly, people with chronic illnesses and disabilities, and pregnant women. And of course, people who work outdoors, such as construction workers, landscapers, and agricultural workers, are at higher risk for heatstroke.
Higher temperatures could also worsen California’s air quality, which is already some of the worst in the nation.
“Heat accelerates the production of certain air pollutants and traps them near the ground,” the state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment said. “This combination increases the risk of respiratory, cardiovascular and other health effects.”
The weather service’s new experimental heat risk tool displays a color-coded index of the daily projected risk of heat-related impacts in the state. Many inland areas are expected to face large or extreme heat impacts, as indicated by red and magenta, respectively.
The National Weather Service’s heat risk map shows that much of California is at risk of severe (red) or extreme (magenta) heat illness as a heat wave sweeps across the West this week.
Due to the risk of extreme heat, [temperature] “The heat will ease,” a Meteorological Agency official said, adding that it was likely to affect “most of the medical system, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure.”
The heat will also fuel mountain and desert fires, and the practice of setting off explosives around the Fourth of July will also fuel the blazes. Red flag warnings are in effect through Wednesday for the Sacramento Valley and inland North Bay mountains.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Management also this week “strategically deployed significant fire engines and personnel” to several northern counties at high risk for wildfires.
The heat wave could last beyond the seven days currently predicted by the National Weather Service. According to the Climate Prediction Center’s long-range forecast, there is a 70% to 90% chance that above-average temperatures will continue across the state until at least July 10.
Looking for ways to stay cool and avoid heatstroke? Key advice from health and weather experts is to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity during the hottest times of the day, and never leave children or pets in the car, where temperatures can become deadly within minutes.
For more resources and advice on heatwaves, check out these guides from The Times:
Today’s Top News
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During breaks
Patriotic cyclists ride down Main Street during the fifth annual Huntington Beach Locals-sponsored Fourth of July Bike Cruise.
(Allen J. Schaven/Los Angeles Times)
Go out
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And finally… some powerful photos
Tell us your favorite place in California. We’re running low on submissions. Send us your iconic California photo and it could be featured in an Essential California issue.
Firefighters are battling the Gorman Fire in northern Los Angeles County.
(Jason Almond/Los Angeles Times)
Today’s powerful photo, taken by Times photographer Jason Almond, captures the first major wildfire of 2024 in Los Angeles County.
Have a great day! Yours, The Essential California Team
By Ryan Fonseca
Kevinisha Walker, Multiplatform Editor, Saturday Reporter
Christian Orozco, Assistant Editor
Karim Doumar, Head of Newsletter
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