Heat Wave Burns Los Angeles

By Grace Muller, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
August 15, 2012; 4:40 PM
Share |

Monday marked the eighth-straight day in a heat wave that just keeps going, bringing temperatures above 100 degrees to some areas of California.

"It's not unusual for it to occasionally get above 100 out in the valleys" around L.A., AccuWeather meteorologist Ken Clark said. What makes this weather unusual is "how long and persistent the heat has been. When you start getting departures 4, 5, 6 degrees above normal, that is significant in the summertime. [It's the] persistent nature of the heat that's affecting people. The gripe level is up to the rooftops right now with people griping about how hot it is."

Monsoonal flow, moisture coming from the eastern Pacific, has kept the humidity values higher than normal for California. Higher humidity has kept the fire danger down somewhat for the state; however, Clark said that "fire danger is still high because everything is dry."

Clark says that the heat wave will continue for at least a few more days across California.

Pictures from the heat wave:

Comments

Comments left here should adhere to the AccuWeather.com Community Guidelines. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.

More Weather News

  • Big Warmup Later Next Week Midwest, East

    May 25, 2013; 5:54 PM ET

    A few days after a chilly storm departs the Northeast, warm weather will make a strong comeback in parts of the Midwest and the East later next week.

  • Northeast Memorial Weekend: Slow Improvement

    May 25, 2013; 5:41 PM ET

    The storm responsible for the wind, cold, rain and snow in the Northeast Friday and Saturday will slowly ease up for the balance of the holiday weekend.

  • Emotional Dog, Owner Reunions After Oklahoma Tornadoes

    May 25, 2013; 5:22 PM ET

    "This pup was literally singing when he saw his family," Michelle Karolicki, relocation program manager of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society, said about a reunion that took place on Thursday.

Daily U.S. Extremes

past 24 hours

  Extreme Location
High N/A
Low N/A
Precip N/A

WeatherWhys®

This Day In Weather History

Iowa City, IA (1859)
Waterspout; 8 killed, one child was taken up, carried 500 yards and thrown in a slough but survived.

Chicago, IL (1992)
32 degrees, latest 32 or lower on record.

Udall, KS (1955)
This town 25 southeast of Wichita was destroyed by a tornado; 80 people dead.