Southern California Experiences Record-Breaking Heat Just One Week Following Major Winter Weather.
In the wake of torrential rains that resulted in floodwaters across parts of the city, Los Angeles is now grappling with unseasonably hot weather for late February.
Record-Setting Temperatures
By Friday afternoon, the thermometer soared to ninety-one degrees Fahrenheit in downtown Los Angeles, per data from meteorologists. This breaks the prior high for this date, which was 88°F (31°C) and was set in the previous year.
"Unusually high temperatures" were labeled on official charts for the region.
Safety Alerts
The weather service cautioned that Friday's conditions posed an "elevated risk for heat illness" for vulnerable populations. Their advice suggested:
- Staying hydrated.
- Limiting outdoor activities during the peak heat of the day.
- Ensuring you do not leave children or pets unattended in a parked vehicle.
An Extreme Weather Swing
This sudden spike in temperature arrives just after a intense winter storm that pummeled the region earlier in the week. That storm unleashed heavy snow, strong winds, and thunderstorms to higher elevations, leading to mudslide risks for countless residents.
Tragically, the storm also triggered a deadly avalanche in the Tahoe area, which claimed the lives of.
Temperatures Easing
Forecasters predict a cooldown is coming. Readings were forecast to drop to around 16 degrees Celsius (61 Fahrenheit) in the city by Friday night.
Additional areas that reached the 90-degree mark were Long Beach, Burbank, and Woodland Hills. Elsewhere, Santa Maria, Oxnard, Camarillo, and Westwood were forecast to experience the upper eighties.
For the weekend, central Los Angeles can anticipate temperatures in the eighties, with a further cooldown on tap for the week ahead.
