Southern California is sweltering through one of its hottest Octobers on record. Downtown Los Angeles hit 103 degrees on October 2, shattering the old record of 101 set in 1995, and followed with 102 on October 4 — roughly 22 degrees above normal for this time of year, according to the National Weather Service.
Records fell across the region: Hollywood Burbank Airport logged a record 101 on October 4, and Long Beach matched the century mark at 103 on October 2. An extreme heat warning covers Los Angeles and Ventura coastal and valley areas, plus coastal Orange County, through 8 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday, October 8. More than 35 million people are under dangerous-heat alerts, and overnight lows stuck in the 70s and 80s are offering little relief.
Health officials are urging residents to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity during peak hours, and check on elderly neighbors and anyone without air conditioning. Cooling centers have been opened across the metro area.
Forecasters expect a cooling trend starting Friday into the weekend, with a 20 to 30 percent chance of showers as moisture from distant Hurricane Rachel moves toward the region.
