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Heat wave to persist through the weekend in Southern California, with Inland Empire feeling the hottest temperatures

July 13, 2023

A summer heat wave is set to extend its stay in Southern California, and state officials are working to ensure the most vulnerable residents are prepared as triple-digit temperatures make their way across the Inland Empire.

A high-pressure system started building over the region earlier this week and temperatures are expected to continue climbing throughout the week, peaking this weekend, said National Weather Service meteorologist Courtney Carpenter. Excessive heat warnings were already in affect in some cities in Riverside and San Bernardino counties on Wednesday and additional warnings were set to go into effect in Los Angeles county on Friday and lasting through at least the weekend.

Temperatures reached into the high 90s in parts of the Inland Empire on Wednesday, and will continue to rise through the weekend with cities including Menifee, in Riverside County; and Redlands, in San Bernardino County; reaching highs of 104 and 107 respectively by Sunday.

While triple-digit heat is no stranger to the Inland Empire, state officials on Tuesday launched the Heat Ready CA campaign. The two-year, $20 million initiative is meant to raise public awareness to the dangers that extreme heat brings to those at highest risk of heat-related illnesses, including those 65 years or older, workers, people with chronic illness, those with disabilities and those who are pregnant.

“Extreme heat is a killer,” Brian Ferguson, a spokesperson for the state’s Office of Emergency Services, said on Wednesday. “More than any disaster we face, we see more fatalities from heat.”

Along with the health risks that come with excessive heat — nausea, cramping, and strokes — officials were also monitoring the potential for additional brush fires while fire departments across the region already battle several blazes that have popped up.

“There was a lot of new vegetation that has grown during our wet Spring,” said Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency. “The hot temperatures combined with this newly dried-out vegetation will exacerbate the risk of wildfires.”

Meanwhile, communities along the coast will continue to receive the short end of the heat wave with an early morning marine layer and the ocean breeze keeping temperatures in the 70s.

Beach goers play Smashball north of the pier in San Clemente, CA, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A lifeguard keeps an eye on beach goers north of the pier in San Clemente, CA, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Beau Kendrick carries her body board to the beach north of the pier in San Clemente, CA, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Keziah Law, 14, of Corona swings into the The Adventure Lagoon in Anaheim on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. He was with his siblings and mother, Ashley Law who says she prefers taking her family to the inflatable water park to cool off rather than to the beach because the water is warmer and it is safer for her children. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Children jump off inflatable structures at The Adventure Lagoon in Anaheim on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. The water park features a floating obstacle course in he man-made Miraloma Basin. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Ashely Law of Corona swings into the The Adventure Lagoon in Anaheim on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 as her children watch her. Law says she prefers taking her family to the inflatable water park to cool off rather than to the beach because the water is warmer and it is safer for her children. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A child runs out from under a water feature in the wading pool at Glen Helen Regional Park swimming area to beat the high temperatures in San Bernardino on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Sofia Hernandez,11 holds a melting ice cream cone as temperatures rise to triple digits in Chino on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

Children enjoy the splash pad water features at Glen Helen Regional Park swimming area as they beat the heat of the day in San Bernardino on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

L-R Thierry Wills-J and Noah Anderson play in the sand at Bayshore as temperatures reached 84 degrees in Long Beach on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

The Lopez family enjoys a little friendly soccer as temperatures reached 84 degrees in Long Beach on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Connor hitches a ride as Lexi paddles in the water off of Bayshore as temperatures reached 84 degrees in Long Beach on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

What better way to cool off than making a big splash in the water at Bayshore as temperatures reached 84 degrees in Long Beach on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

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In Los Angeles and Orange counties, beach cities including Redondo Beach and Laguna Beach will remain in the mid 70s for most of the week, slowly rising to the high 70s and possible low 80s by Sunday, Carpenter said. The high 70s trend will continue into early next week along the coast.

California State Parks’ Orange County Superintendent Kevin Pearsall said the past three weekends have been so busy at the beaches that parking lots at Bolsa Chica, Huntington State Beach, Crystal Cove and Doheny State Beach were closed during periods because they hit capacity, leaving beachgoers waiting for spots to open up. “Everyone wants to come to the beaches to enjoy the ocean, sand and sun, the recreation and concessions,” Pearsall said.

Anaheim, Fullerton and other inland Orange County cities won’t be as lucky with temperatures already in the low 90s on Wednesday. Those inland cities, thankfully, won’t see much change in temperature with highs hanging in the 90s before slowly dropping early next week.

Los Angeles County’s inland communities will definitely feel the heat with Pasadena, Woodland Hills and Azusa — among other cities — to reach into the high 90s on Thursday and reach into the low 100s by the weekend.

The heat wave is set to stick around into next week with some areas feeling a slight cooling by Wednesday, though only by a couple of degrees.

Staff reporter Laylan Connelly contributed to this report.

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