Heat wave continues: Southern California braces for possible record temps

The hottest days of the week are about to blast Southern California on Thursday and Friday, bringing a chance of record temperatures.

“It’s going to get very, very hot,” KTLA Meteorologist Henry DiCarlo said Thursday morning. “We’re really starting to circle here around record territory.”

The multi-day heat wave is expected to continue through the weekend, prompting the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue extreme heat warnings,

heat advisories and red flag fire weather warnings.

“Unfortunately, we are really concerned about fires and about the fire conditions that are out there … Orange County, for the most part, most of the Inland Empire, parts of L.A. and Ventura counties are under this fire weather warning,” Henry said.

The NWS confirms that many areas will likely see near-record temperatures and is predicting a chance of thunderstorms over the mountains during the afternoon hours beginning on Friday and continuing through Monday.

The timing and location of thunderstorms, which bring a danger of lightning strikes sparking wildfires, are notoriously unpredictable.

During the extended period of heat, residents were urged to plan strenuous outdoor activities during the morning hours if possible, review fire evacuation plans and were reminded to monitor announcements from local emergency officials.

Cooler conditions are expected to return next week, with afternoon highs returning to near normal by midweek.