Last gasp of heat wave brings Flex Alert, red flag warnings and new records

Southern California’s coastal areas cooled considerably early Friday, but much of the region is still sweltering under a lingering heat wave that is moving into its fifth day.

Patchy fog blanketed Los Angeles County, bringing a slight chance of showers before warming during the day to 87 degrees. Parts of the coast cooled, with a high of 75 expected in Santa Monica, 79 in Long Beach and 71 in Newport Beach. Hotter temperatures are expected farther inland, with 94 degrees forecast in Lancaster, 97 in Riverside, 94 in Ontario, 92 degrees in Murrieta and 85 in Anaheim. Humidity levels also remain high.

The California Independent System Operator, which monitors power lines across the state, extended its Flex Alert a second day, from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, to encourage reduced energy use because of the strain on the state’s power grid. Residents are advised to avoid lowering the thermostat during these hours and to complete tasks involving high amounts of energy beforehand, such as using major appliances and the charging of electric cars.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed an emergency proclamation to reduce grid-based power usage by allowing for back-up generators, and suspending certain permitting requirements.

Officials are hoping voluntary power reductions will help avoid the types of problems that led to power shutoffs in some areas during last year’s heat waves. In August, the ISO declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency for the first time since 2001 because of excessive heat driving up electricity use, and the agency ordered utilities to implement power disruption programs.

California

What you need to do during California’s Flex Alert power emergency

California

What you need to do during California’s Flex Alert power emergency

Consumers are asked to limit their electricity use between 5 and 10 p.m. to avoid the shutoffs that happened during last year’s heat waves.

The National Weather Service said that the region should start to see cooler temperatures beginning this weekend, with temperatures in the Los Angeles in the low 80s by Saturday and the high 70s by Monday.

Meanwhile, the heat wave that has blanketed Southern California has either matched or set new records in some spots. On Thursday, Palm Springs reached 123 degrees, matching the highest maximum temperature record set on three previous occasions: on August 1, 1993; July 28, 1995; and July 29, 1995. Ocotillo Wells — located southeast of Borrego Springs, which reached a record of 118 Thursday — also hit 123 degrees, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The reading appears to be the second highest temperature ever recorded in San Diego County.

Thermal, the appropriately named California town just south of Coachella and west of Joshua Tree National Park, also set a record for 118, according to the weather service. Idyllwild reached 96, breaking its 1961 record of 92, and Big Bear set a new record at 88 degrees. Other records from Thursday include Lancaster (111), Palmdale (109), Paso Robles (109) and Sandberg (101).

Parts of Inyo County, around Death Valley National Park, are under a red flag warning for potential fire conditions. Thunderstorms are expected over the region, but rain is unlikely to reach the ground, so dry lightning strikes could ignite fires in the low-humidity heat, according to the NWS.

A sliver of Northern California, around the Modoc National Forest, remains under red flag warning from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, and a fire weather watch extends into Saturday evening for gusty winds and low humidity.

The heat persists in many parts of the county, such as the Santa Clarita Valley, where a heat advisory for temperatures around 101 is in effect until 9 p.m. Friday.

Mountains across Los Angeles County and reaching into Ventura and Santa Barbara County ranges are still under excessive heat warning that has been in effect most of the week and lasts until 9 p.m. Saturday.