The sun’s rays in summer shine down on us at an angle that can burn our skin in a matter of minutes. 

It’s even more important to limit your time outdoors while a prolonged heat wave sweeps through Southern California.

What You Need To Know

  • The first summer heat wave lasted from June 30 to July 3 for most SoCal cities  

  • Daytime high temperatures for many valley cities topped out in the mid-90s

  • This week's heat wave will last into next week as a ridge of high pressure builds

  • This time, daytime highs in the inland valleys will reach the upper 90s and 100s 

So far this week, high temperatures have been in the 90s inland, just above average. 

They're about to get even hotter Friday through Monday.

Daytime highs in the valleys to the deserts will be as much as 10 to 15 degrees warmer than average. 

It’ll be tough to keep people away from popular SoCal spots, considering the time of year.  

Amusement parks

It’ll be up to us individually to keep ourselves safe, especially if we spend the day at an outdoor event or amusement park, where standing in long lines in the direct sun is common.  

Magic Mountain in the Santa Clarita Valley may turn on its misting system, but the heat can still be unbearable if you don't stay hydrated and seek shade as much as possible. 

Camping trips

If you have a camping trip planned in the mountains, plan for hot days then cool nights. 

Start any outdoor activities early so you can avoid the extreme heat, especially over the weekend. 

Hiking

Hiking at any of our inland trails will be much tougher, especially over the weekend.  

Consider a shorter trek that you can start early in the day and end in a couple of hours. You can also postpone your hike until it cools down or hike along the coast.

Know the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion

The graphic below highlights the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

It’s good to know in case you or any friends or relatives overdo it this summer. 

(National Weather Service)

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