Hot, Humid Conditions To Continue With Chance Of Thunderstorms

LOS ANGELES, CA — Another hot and muggy day made things uncomfortable again Friday throughout the Southland, with the heat expected to extend into the weekend, while mountain and desert areas braced for possible thunderstorms.

Extreme heat warnings will remain in effect through 8 p.m. Friday across much of Los Angeles County. A less severe heat advisory will then be in place through 8 p.m. Saturday.

In Orange County, an extreme heat warning that had been set to expire Friday evening will instead remain in place until 8 p.m. Saturday for inland areas. Other areas will be under a heat advisory until Saturday night.

The heat wave has driven up temperatures throughout the week, with an uptick in humidity sparking occasional showers in some locations and prompting warnings of possible thunderstorms. According to the National Weather Service, Los Angeles County mountain and desert areas could potentially see some storms Friday afternoon, but the risk appeared to be dropping.

Forecasters said "a hot and muggy day" was on tap for the rest of the day, with a slight temperature drop anticipated Saturday and a "big drop on track for Sunday."

Temperatures remained hot across Los Angeles and Orange counties Thursday afternoon, reaching 98 degrees in Van Nuys, 94 in Burbank and Fullerton, 93 in Santa Ana and 91 in downtown Los Angeles.

Overnight lows also remained elevated, with several records falling. Burbank fell to only 78 degrees Thursday night, breaking the 2013 record for the date of 75 degrees. Long Beach and Los Angeles International Airport both dropped only to 75 degrees, breaking the record of 71 for both areas, sent in 1994 in Long Beach and 2015 at LAX. Woodland Hills dipped only to 76 degrees, breaking the low-temperature record of 71 set in 2013.

Less cloud cover was expected across Los Angeles County Friday, allowing temperatures to climb from Thursday's levels, according to the NWS.

Red flag warnings of critical wildfire conditions will remain in effect until 3 p.m. Friday for the San Gabriel Mountains and areas along the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors.

Forecasters said triple-digit temperatures, deep atmospheric mixing, locally gusty winds and low humidity in interior areas could produce elevated to briefly critical fire weather conditions.

The tropical moisture is expected to move out of the region Friday night, clearing the way for a cooler and drier weekend.

Monday is expected to remain relatively quiet with below-normal temperatures and coastal low clouds.

Forecasters are already monitoring another potential influx of tropical moisture next week. A disturbance developing off the Baja California coast is expected to become a tropical storm, and about half of forecast projections show some of its moisture reaching Southern California between Tuesday and Thursday.

Only about 10% of the projections currently produce rain, however.

"The most likely outcome is for some increased mugginess and warmer conditions and that is about it," forecasters said, describing other potential impacts as remaining in a "wait and see holding pattern."

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