CONTACT US

Contact Form

    News Details

    Southern California’s March heat wave breaks more records Wednesday
    • March 19, 2026

    As Southern California’s unusual March heat wave continues, several daily temperature records were broken across the region on Wednesday, March 18.

    According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in coastal areas likely peaked on Tuesday, but the heat will intensify in valley and interior areas through Friday, before noticeably falling over the weekend but remaining above normal. Temperatures are expected to remain 5-15 degrees above normal, forecasters said.

    “Like a broken record, the dangerously hot conditions will continue to impact the region through at least Friday,” according to a statement by the NWS. “… Very strong, record breaking high pressure continues to inch to the east this week. While (Wednesday) will see an increase in onshore trends, which will allow the coastal temperatures to decrease a few degrees (but remaining near the 80s and 90s), valleys and mountains will continue to be around 90-104 degrees through Friday. Additionally, warm overnight lows will provide little relief from the heat, especially in the foothill and mountain locations.”

    The National Weather service reported several new daily heat records.

    On Wednesday, Downtown Los Angeles saw a high of 95, breaking a record of 87 degrees in 1997. Woodland Hills’ temperature peaked at 100, besting a temperature of 92 degrees in 1997. A high of 91 was recorded at the Long Beach Airport, edging out a 1960 record of 86. Temperatures at UCLA hit 87 degrees, breaking a record of 84 from 1978.

    In Orange County, Santa Ana and Anaheim hit 95 degrees, breaking records of 88 degrees from 2010 and 1978, respectively.

    A temperature of 98 was recorded in Riverside, toppling a record from 1914 of 93 degrees. In Big Bear, temperatures hit 77 degrees, beating a record of 68 degrees in 2004. Idyllwild peaked at 87 degrees on Wednesday, hotter than the previous record of 75 degrees in 2004.

    This “very unseasonal” heatwave will begin to cool down next week, according to the NWS San Diego.

    Staff reporter Sierra van der Brug contributed to this story. 

    ​ Orange County Register 

    News