Another warm weekend is on the way in Southern California as a high-pressure system moves across the region, causing temperatures to gradually rise — with some inland cities anticipated to hit triple digits by Saturday.
The high-pressure system, known as a heat dome, was moving across the Midwest this week and was forecast to hang over Texas into the weekend, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Moede. While the dome’s boundaries remain unclear, it has the potential to spread over the region, boosting temperatures throughout the Inland Empire and sections of Orange County.
The Inland Empire was projected to see some of the highest temperatures in the region, with some regions about 10 degrees above average.
Riverside County communities, including Moreno Valley and Jurupa Valley, are forecast to reach the high 80s by Thursday and the mid to upper 90s by Saturday, according to Moede. On Sunday, there was the possibility of a small cooling.
Fontana, Colton, and other San Bernardino County cities were already in the mid-80s on Wednesday, and temperatures will continue to rise into the upper 90s, with the chance of triple digits.
On Wednesday, the wind-driven wildfire in Hesperia had reached 95 percent containment, stalling at approximately 1,078 acres. Moede predicted winds of roughly 20 mph over the weekend. High temperatures in Woodlands Hills, Monrovia, and other inland Los Angeles County cities are expected to reach the mid-80s by Thursday, June 20. NWS meteorologist Lisa Phillips expects the county’s warmest temperatures to be in the low to mid-90s by Saturday.
Temperatures aren’t forecast to vary much on Sunday, but Woodland Hills might reach triple digits, according to Phillips.
Temperatures in the Gorman area north of Los Angeles, where firefighters were still battling to contain the enormous Post-fire on Wednesday, were anticipated to be in the mid-70s on Thursday and low 90s by Saturday. Containment had reached 39% as of Wednesday morning.
Moede said the hotter, drier air might increase the risk of wildfires, particularly following a winter season with above-average rainfall.
“Now with the lack of rain, all the grasses and small saplings are going to add fuel to whatever fire may start,” Moede told reporters.
Cities along the coast, like San Pedro and Redondo Beach, are unlikely to experience the heat, with highs in the mid-70s through Sunday.
According to dailynews South in Orange County, areas such as Newport Beach and Huntington Beach may be somewhat warmer in the low 70s on Thursday, rising to the mid-70s during the weekend, Moede added.
Anaheim, Fullerton, and other inland communities are forecast to have substantially higher temperatures, ranging from the low 80s on Thursday to the high 80s by Saturday.
Little change is predicted over the next week, with mild temperatures remaining as the system travels away from the area.