You know it, you’ve been there: temperatures have been out of control this week and weekend, topping 100 degrees across most of Southern California.
And while Los Angeles hasn’t quite turned into Phoenix, the heat has caused quite a bit of stress for local residents, not to mention the power supply we rely on. Since Saturday afternoon, about 7,000 electricity customers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have been without power.
Even in normally temperate Santa Monica, it’s expected to be so hot tomorrow that organizers of the Santa Monica Classic have halved the 10K race and offered earlier start times.
There is good news further afield, however: The National Weather Service predicts that Monday will be the last day of triple-digit temperatures in most coastal and inland areas of Southern California.
Heat warnings should be lifted by 8pm on Monday. Temperatures are expected to be about 10 degrees cooler on Tuesday, falling to 35 to 40 degrees in most parts of the region. Still pretty hot, but we’ll take it.
The current heatwave has lasted longer than expected. If you checked your weather app this week, you probably noticed that temperatures were originally only supposed to be above 38 degrees Celsius for a few days.
“When we issued the heat warning earlier this week, it was not in effect for the entire Monday,” said NWS meteorologist Dave Munyan. “We had to extend it as we approached the end of the week.”
But this time, according to meteorologists, there is actually a light at the end of the tunnel.
“I don’t expect we’ll have to extend the heat any further than it already is,” Munyan said. “Monday looks to be the last very unusually hot day, and then once we get to Tuesday, I think there will be more noticeable relief in many coastal areas and especially inland.”
Until then, please stay cool, drink water and think about your own health and that of your loved ones. Here’s how to prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion, and how to keep cool when you don’t have air conditioning.
Cooling centers in LA and Long Beach
The City of LA has now opened six cooling centers to help Los Angeles residents beat the heat from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Monday:
- Fred Roberts Leisure Centre
4700 Honduras St., Los Angeles - Mid Valley Senior Center
8801 Kester Ave., Panorama City - Sunland Senior Center
8640 Fenwick St., Sunland - Lafayette Multipurpose Community Center
625 S Lafayette Park Place, Los Angeles - Jim Gilliam Recreation Center
4000 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights Senior Center
2323 Workman St., Los Angeles
Two library cooling centers are open exclusively this Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.:
- Chinatown Library Branch
639 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles - Pacoima Library Branch
13605 Van Nuys Boulevard, Pacoima
And during regular business hours, most of LA’s recreation centers and libraries serve as cooling-off centers.
LADWP customers can sign up here to receive power outage alerts via SMS or email.
Skid Row residents can escape the heat at climate stations that offer cold beverages, seating, shade and other resources at the following locations:
- Towne St. (between 5th St. and 6th St.) across from ReFresh Spot
- San Pedro St., in the middle of the block between 6th and 7th Streets
- 5th and Maple
Long Beach parks and libraries are also serving as cooling centers during regular business hours. The following five locations are open today from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.:
- Houghton Park
6301 Myrtle Ave., Long Beach - El Dorado Park
2800 Studebaker Road, Long Beach - Silverado Park 1
1545 W. 31st St., Long Beach - McBride Park – California Community Recreation Center
1550 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., Long Beach - Long Beach Senior Center
1150 E. 4th Street, Long Beach
Other regional cold centers
In LA, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, call 3-1-1 or request a list of cool-down centers. In the city of Los Angeles, you can also find a list of recreation centers, senior centers and libraries online – all good options for cooling off.
- Tip: Call the center in advance to make sure seating is available.
- Tip: If the center you want is at capacity or not operating, head to a local air-conditioned library and cool off with a book about ice fishing in Antarctica.
For more details on cooling centers in Southern California, visit:
Heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke
With extreme heat looming across the South over the next few days, it is important to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
If you can’t tell the difference, there are two things you should pay attention to: your heart rate and the amount of sweat you’re sweating.
Typical symptoms of heat stroke include lack of sweating, a pounding headache, and a rapid, strong pulse. Heat exhaustion, on the other hand, makes you feel weak, dizzy, have a rapid, weak pulse, and excessive sweating.
To prevent heat exhaustion, go to a cooler place, drink water and take a cold shower.
If you feel heatstroke coming on, get help immediately and try to cool down. We’ve explained the key differences between heat exhaustion and heat stroke in detail.
