Southern California Battles Record-Breaking Heat Only Days After Severe Winter Weather.
In the wake of torrential rains that caused flooding across areas in the city, Los Angeles is now seeing unusually high temperatures for late February.
All-Time High Heat
During the day Friday, the mercury reached 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) in downtown Los Angeles, as reported by weather officials. This exceeds the prior high for this date, which was 31 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit) and was recorded just last year.
"Exceptionally warm weather" were highlighted on forecast graphics for the region.
Public Health Alerts
Authorities cautioned that Friday's heat posed an "increased danger for heat illness" for those at risk. Their advice featured:
- Staying hydrated.
- Limiting outdoor activities during the peak heat of the day.
- Not leaving kids or animals unattended in a parked vehicle.
A Sharp Weather Swing
This sharp rise in heat follows closely after a intense winter storm that pummeled the area earlier in the week. That system brought heavy snow, strong winds, and thunderstorms to higher elevations, causing mudslide risks for many residents.
Sadly, the storm also caused a large avalanche in the Lake Tahoe area, which left nine people dead from.
Weekend Outlook
The outlook suggests cooler conditions is expected. The heat were forecast to drop to around sixty-one degrees Fahrenheit in central Los Angeles by late Friday.
Additional areas that hit the 90-degree mark included Long Beach, Burbank, and Woodland Hills. Elsewhere, Oxnard, Westwood, Camarillo, and Santa Maria were forecast to reach the high 80s.
For the weekend, central Los Angeles can see temperatures in the 80s, with cooler weather on tap for the following week.