The National Weather Service said an extreme heat watch will bring temperatures to 101 degrees in Woodland Hills and 97 degrees in Van Nuys starting Tuesday. The warm spell could last through the week, with Thursday expected to be the hottest day for Southern California.
Temperatures in the high 80s are forecast for Long Beach and Los Angeles, while some parts of SoCal could see triple-digit heat. The agency has also briefed city and county officials on the heat conditions for next week as large outdoor gatherings approach.
Woodland Hills and Van Nuys
Ryan Kittell said temperature warm-ups are typical heading into July. That leaves the week with a split picture: the seasonal rise into summer on one side, and a sharper push into higher heat in the places most likely to feel it first.
People in Woodland Hills and Van Nuys are the clearest focus of the forecast. The difference between 101 degrees and the high 80s elsewhere in Long Beach and Los Angeles is not just a number on a map; it marks where the hottest conditions are expected to concentrate.
Mike Wofford and Southern California
Mike Wofford said the agency is also seeing warmer ocean temperatures as part of the El Niño weather pattern. He added that El Niño’s effects will kick in fully later in the summer, which puts this week’s heat ahead of the pattern’s full influence.
Wofford also said heat effects at gatherings might be significant because of the high volume of people and because some people may not be used to SoCal weather. The National Weather Service is anticipating a long-period swell later this week, and heavy surf, high tides and rip currents are expected to last at least until Thursday.
Thursday and World Cup
Forecasters said the heat will peak mid-week, with Thursday set as the hottest day. Widespread heat advisories are also possible, which means the agency is preparing for the highest temperatures to line up with outdoor activity and World Cup crowds in Los Angeles.
That makes the immediate task simple for anyone heading outside: follow the hottest day, not the first warm one. The heat arrives Tuesday, builds into mid-week, and then crests on Thursday, when the forecast points to the most difficult conditions for people spending time outside.
