The Santa Clarita Valley is expecting one of the hottest heat waves of the summer this week, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is urging residents to take precautions to stay safe as triple digits are expected.
According to National Weather Service Meteorologist Kristan Lund, temperatures will reach triple digits as early as Wednesday and could be as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday and Friday. Warm overnight low temperatures are expected to be in the mid 70s throughout the week, she added.
The SCV is under both a Red Flag Warning and Extreme Heat Warning, Lund said. A Red Flag Warning is specific to fire weather behavior, which is determined by how dry the vegetation may be, and how low the humidities are.
“We don’t necessarily have the wind and the humidities reaching typical red flag criteria and fire weather, but we do have some instability with the heat. When it’s hotter, we get more unstable air,” she said.
An Extreme Heat Warning is looking at temperatures and warm overnight lows, and then based on the climatology, officials can determine if there is a heat risk for the public, Lund said.
Both warnings are expected to last until Friday, with the possibility of leading into early next week, she added.
The Department of Public Health recommends the following tips for the public to keep safe amid the excessive heat:
- Stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Wear lightweight, light colored clothing, and wear a hat or use an umbrella when under the sun.
- Never leave children or pets alone in cars, even if the windows are “cracked” open. If individuals come across a child or pet left in a car they should contact law enforcement immediately.
- Check on those at risk for heat-related illness, like those who are sick or have chronic conditions including older adults, pregnant woman, children, and those who live alone, pets and outdoors workers and athletes.
If residents do not have access to air conditioning, they should stay hydrated and not wait until they are thirsty to have a drink of water; take cool showers or baths; use stove and oven less; and visit a library, cooling center or the mall and other spaces that have air conditioning.
County-designated cooling centers for the SCV
The Stevenson Ranch Library, located at 25950 The Old Road, is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Val Verde Community Regional Park, located at 30300 Arlington St., is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Heat-related illness symptoms, according to the Department of Public Health, include: a high body temperature (such as 103 degrees or higher), dizziness, nausea, passing out, headache, confusion and a fast and strong pulse.
Residents can stay up to date with heat-related impacts in the area by visiting the NWS HeatRisk website, which can inform people on how unusual the heat for this time of year may be, the duration of the heat for both day and nighttime, and if those temperatures pose an elevated risk for heat-related illness based on data from the Centers for Disease Control.
