After a week of heavy downpours that left parts of Los Angeles flooded, the city is now facing unusually high temperatures for late February.
By mid-afternoon Friday, it was 91F (33C) in downtown Los Angeles, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). That breaks the daily record for 27 February, which was 88F (31C), set last year.
The NWS forecast office in Los Angeles shows a map on their website with Friday’s temperatures, labeling them as “very warm conditions”.
Friday’s temperatures pose an “elevated risk for heat illness for populations sensitive to heat”, reads the warning by NWS. It also suggests staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activities during the afternoon hours and not leaving children or animals alone in the backseat of a parked vehicle.
The spike in temperatures comes after California was battered by a massive winter storm that brought thunderstorms, high winds and heavy snow to mountain areas early last week. Millions of Los Angeles county residents were under flash flood warnings as rain pounded the region. Residents in neighborhoods scarred by last year’s devastating wildfires also faced evacuation warnings amid the risk of mud and debris flows.
The winter storm also triggered a massive avalanche that left nine people dead in the Lake Tahoe area.
According to the NWS, temperatures are expected to ease Friday night, with a low of 61F (16C) forecast for downtown LA.
Other areas reaching 90F today include Long Beach, Burbank and Woodland Hills. Oxnard, Westwood (home to the University of California at Los Angeles), Camarillo and Santa Maria are forecast to reach the high 80s.
Temperatures in the 80s are expected for downtown Los Angeles through the weekend, while the week ahead shows temperatures in the mid-70s.