Air descends to the ground and heats up, and the sinking air acts like a lid, trapping warmer air close to the ground. This heat dome is impacting much of the West and desert Southwest, and records are expected to be broken in Los Angeles and Phoenix as well.
Tuesday is expected to be the hottest day of the week, with warmer valley areas in L.A. County expected to reach the triple digits and temperatures in inland coastal areas ranging from the 80s to lower 90s, according to the National Weather Service. The hot weather will continue on Wednesday and coincide with a risk of thunderstorms that will persist through midday Friday.
Dangerous rip currents, as well as elevated surf of up to six feet, could strike beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with the highest risk on south-facing shores, especially from Point Mugu to Malibu, the National Weather Service said in a beach hazards statement, which remains in effect through Monday evening. Swimmers can be pulled out to sea by the currents, and the Weather Service is advising beachgoers to stay near lifeguard towers or avoid the water altogether.
Residents of the Western U.S. sweltered in a heat wave Saturday that hospitalized some people, with temperatures forecast to hit dangerous levels throughout the weekend in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada and Arizona. About 1.2 million people were under extreme heat risk, meaning temperatures were expected to stay dangerously high with no relief overnight. The largest area under the warning was around Tucson, Arizona, where the National Weather Service forecast highs between 102 and 107 degrees Fahrenheit (39 and 42 degrees Celsius).
