Heat wave smothering Southern California nears its peak

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Set us as preferred A heat wave that’s expected to rank among the hottest of the year so far will peak in Southern California on Thursday, with nights sultry enough to increase the risk of heat illness, as well as periods of critical fire weather, forecasters said.Temperatures will be 8 to 12 degrees above normal, with muggy conditions limiting overnight cooling, said Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.Valley areas should reach triple digits, with Woodland Hills hitting 105 to 106 degrees, she said.Beaches also will be warmer than usual, due in part to unseasonably warm ocean water temperatures driven by El Niño, she said.In downtown Los Angeles, where temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-90s, Langer’s Deli owner Norm Langer said staff would place air conditioning units in front of the store and hand out cold bottled water to customers waiting in line.

“Extreme heat is part and parcel of our lives these days, and we must adapt to it,” Langer said in a statement.A Weather Service heat advisory is in effect for many areas through 8 a.m.Monday.Forecasters aren’t expecting the heat to break any temperature records but said that some places, including Woodland Hills, Van Nuys and Palmdale, might come within a few degrees of setting new daily highs.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued an extreme heat warning for residents of many areas, citing both daytime temperatures and unusually warm overnight conditions.Hotter nights can prolong the stress that heat places on the human body by depriving people of a chance to recover, increasing the risk of heat-related illness.Forecasters also warned of the risk of fast-spreading fires, with the Weather Service calling for elevated to brief critical fire weather conditions across Southern California’s valley, moun...