An early season heat wave is set to sweep across Southern California this week with some areas in Los Angeles County expected to push close to 100 degrees.
Monday, March 16, 2026 8:03AMAn early season heat wave is set to sweep across Southern California this week with some areas in Los Angeles County expected to push close to 100 degrees. It feels like summer already and it's only going to get worse.
Forecasters say an incoming heat wave this week could challenge records across parts of Los Angeles County. The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for many inland communities, while beach areas are under a Heat Advisory Tuesday through Friday. In some parts of L.A. County, temperatures could climb into the upper 90s with the possibility of reaching triple digits. To put that in perspective, this time of year downtown L.A. typically sees highs in the upper 60s. "This is earlier in the year, so our bodies in the area aren't used to these high temperatures, so that time of year is significant with this so we do have concern that people who work outside, people without air conditioning, people who are a little more vulnerable, the very young, elderly, that these temperatures will cause heat related issues," said NWS Meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld. Typically, a dry stretch of heat like this would also raise fire concerns in Southern California, but after a wet winter, forecasters say the vegetation is still too moist for that to be a major issue at this time. Instead, health officials are urging people to focus on staying cool and hydrated -- especially because the heat is arriving so early in the season.
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