Southern California is finally set to experience some relief from a prolonged heat wave, with a cooling trend expected to begin on Wednesday.
However, elevated temperatures will continue to pose health and fire risks on Monday and Tuesday.
According to Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, the coming days will bring slight relief as a cooling trend gradually takes hold.
“Wednesday will be a little cooler and then we’ll see a cooling trend into Thursday … and the weekend,” Lewis stated.
He noted that while temperatures are projected to drop by 10 to 15 degrees from their peak highs, warm conditions are likely to persist through at least September.
Until this brief cooldown occurs, much of the region will remain under heat warnings and advisories, continuing to elevate fire-risk conditions.
The Antelope Valley and its surrounding foothills are under an extreme heat warning through Tuesday, with forecasted highs reaching 110 degrees and nighttime temperatures remaining in the 80s.
In the Mojave Desert, particularly in Death Valley, temperatures are expected to reach a staggering 122 degrees.
Heat advisories have also been issued for various inland and mountainous areas, with highs climbing into the 90s or even triple digits across the San Gabriel Mountains, the Inland Empire, and the San Bernardino and Santa Barbara county mountains.
Much of the Central Valley is similarly under a heat advisory, expecting highs around 105 degrees.
While most of Los Angeles County is not currently impacted by a heat advisory, temperatures will still remain above average on Monday and Tuesday, with downtown L.A. expected to hit 90 degrees on Monday.
Coastal areas, however, will be less affected due to a strong marine layer.
The ongoing heat wave is exacerbating drought conditions, which heightens the likelihood of wildfires, according to Lewis.
“Anytime you have these warm temps, especially prolonged, [fire weather] is still definitely a concern,” he explained.
Firefighters have made significant progress in combating the Canyon fire, which ignited in eastern Ventura County at the onset of the heat wave.
As of Monday, the fire has burned 5,370 acres and is 91% contained, with all evacuation warnings now lifted.
Two homes and seven smaller outbuildings were destroyed during the blaze, as reported by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Conversely, the Gifford fire continues to pose a daunting challenge as it spreads across northern Santa Barbara County and southern San Luis Obispo County.
Since its ignition on August 1, the Gifford fire has consumed nearly 120,000 acres, marking it as the largest wildfire in the state this year.
Despite primarily affecting wilderness areas, officials with the U.S. Forest Service indicate that the sustained high temperatures are making conditions more arduous for firefighting efforts.
As of Monday, the fire remains 33% contained, and widespread evacuation orders and warnings are still in effect.
The investigation into the causes of both the Canyon and Gifford fires is ongoing.
image source from：latimes
