Heat Wave to Scorch Southland

A heat wave will scorch the area beginning Saturday and bring triple digit numbers into the region.

According to a National Weather Service statement, Saturday and Sunday will be the heat wave’s hottest days in Pasadena when temperatures reach 98 and 99 degrees respectively. Temps will reach 89 locally on Thursday.

The weather service urged area residents to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and confining strenuous work or exercise to early morning or evening hours.

And, it stressed, “never, ever, leave children, elderly and pets in and enclosed car, even with the windows down during this heat.”

Today’s temperatures will feel perfectly normal in several communities, but they’ll begin climbing Friday — sharply in some areas — and reach the century mark Saturday.

The NWS forecast partly cloudy skies today in the San Gabriel Valley and coastal and metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, while the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys bask in bright sunshine. Highs will be 75 degrees at LAX; 76 in Avalon; 79 on Mount Wilson; 81 in Long Beach; 82 in Downtown L.A.; 87 in Burbank; 88 in San Gabriel; 90 in Saugus; 93 in Woodland Hills, which will reach 98 Friday and 102 Saturday; 99 in Palmdale; and 100 in Lancaster, where Sunday’s high will be 107.

Sunny skies are forecast today everywhere in Orange County — the coastline, inland cities the mountains — along with highs of 72 in San Clemente and Laguna Beach; 73 in Newport Beach; 76 on Santiago Peak; 81 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 82 at Fremont Canyon; 83 in Irvine and Fullerton; 84 in Anaheim; 85 in Yorba Linda; and 86 at Trabuco Canyon, which is seldom the hottest spot in the county.

Orange County temperatures will rise by up to 5 degrees Friday and reach the low to mid-90s Saturday, with several communities forecast to hit 95.

The hottest location in L.A. County over the weekend will be the Antelope Valley, with extended triple digit heat from 100 to 107 degrees.