California’s record-breaking heat wave is expected to hit record highs in Los Angeles County and the Antelope Valley on Wednesday.
Temperatures are expected to reach 122 degrees in the desert near Palm Springs and nearly 114 degrees in Barstow.
Lancaster and Palmdale recorded their seventh day of temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking records for the number of consecutive days with extreme heat.
The extreme heat warning will be in effect until 9 p.m. Saturday and will affect the Antelope Valley, along Interstate 5, the western San Gabriel Mountains and along Highway 14.
Extreme heat warnings and watches are in effect for most of Southern California through Saturday.
Similar warnings are in effect until 9 p.m. Thursday for the Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, Calabasas Hills, Agoura Hills, Valencia, East Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Valley and several areas of the San Fernando Valley, including Burbank and Topanga.
The hot weather is also creating significant fire danger, with high temperatures and low humidity posing the risk of wildfires spreading quickly.
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Downtown Los Angeles is expected to reach a high of 91 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday before dropping to 88 degrees on Friday and 86 degrees on Saturday.
Scorching heat is also expected in the San Gabriel Valley, with a high of 96 degrees expected in Pasadena on Wednesday and 95 degrees on Thursday.
In Orange County, temperatures in Anaheim are expected to reach 91 degrees on Wednesday, 89 on Thursday and 87 on Friday, forecasters said.
Temperatures are expected to be the nicest at the beaches, with most coastal areas remaining in the mid to upper 70s Fahrenheit.
A slight cooling trend will begin Friday as high pressure moves east and a weak trough develops along the coast. Temperatures are expected to drop by 2 to 5 degrees across the region, but the Antelope Valley will remain up to 5 degrees above normal, the NWS said.
Officials urged people not to leave pets or children in their cars, as locked vehicles can turn into death traps in just seconds, even on days that are slightly warmer than average.
The City and County of Los Angeles are operating cooling centers for people who need a place to escape the heat. Click here to find locations.
Los Angeles County Cooling Centers
The City of Los Angeles is operating four “expanded” cooling centers that will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. through at least Thursday. The centers are located here:
Fred Roberts Recreation Center, 4700 Honduras Street, Los AngelesMid Valley Senior Center, 8825 Kester Avenue, Panorama CityLake View Terrace Recreation Center, 11075 Foothill BoulevardJim Gilliam Recreation Center, 4000 S. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles
City officials said they also opened weather stations to provide cold drinks, shade and seating for homeless people on Skid Row. The stations are located on Town Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and on San Pedro Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Another station is scheduled to open at Fifth Avenue and Maple Street by July 16.
Homeless people can also visit the ReFresh Spot (544 Towne Ave), which is open 24 hours a day and provides drinking water, restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities.
Amy Matzold
