Days-Long Scorcher Triggers Heat Advisory In Newport Beach; Where To Keep Cool

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — The hottest week of the summer is alive and well in Southern California, bringing with it wildfire threats, heat-related illnesses and more.

In Newport Beach, residents can expect Thursday temperatures peaking at 90 near Newport Beach beaches and 98 degrees further inland.

On Friday, temperatures will range from 86 degrees to 91 degrees at local beaches, and up to 99 degrees farther inland.

Newport Beach residents looking to beat the heat were encouraged to stop any of the following cooling locations in town:

• Civic Center Community Room, 100 Civic Center Drive.
  • Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Oasis Senior Center, 801 Narcissus.
  • Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

According to weather experts, the current prolonged heat wave offers no end in sight.

"We've got a pretty strong — especially for this time of the year — area of high pressure that is over parts of Southern California. Right now it centers more over New Mexico and Texas, but it's pretty broad, so we're kind of getting looped into that warmer air, and as we move into the middle and the end of the week, that high pressure system is going to begin to shift west so that we're more under its influence. That's why we're going to see our warmer conditions Wednesday, Thursday and Friday," said Casey Oswant, a meteorologist for National Weather Service in San Diego.

The scorching temperatures triggered heat advisory, which is in effect until at least 10 a.m. Tuesday followed by an extreme heat watch until Friday.

While highs in coastal areas will mainly remain below 90 degrees, overnight temperatures will not drop below the lower 70s, which will especially affect those without access to air conditioning.

According to the National Weather Service, there is some cooling expected on Saturday, but in the past these heat waves have held on a little longer than forecast.

"We'll see some cooling on Saturday but some people probably won't notice because it will still be in the upper 90s to low hundreds left of the mountains, and still above 110 in the low deserts. But there is some indication the end of the weekend, early next week that ridge of high pressure is going to get pushed back to the east, so we may see some more noticeable cooling, that's really at the very end of the forecast period so there's still some uncertainty," said Oswant.

Patch Staffer Corey Washington contributed to this report.