Temperatures along the South Bay coast are expected to reach 85 to 95 degrees starting Tuesday, July 14, as an extreme heat watch takes effect for Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo, and Hawthorne.
The National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard office issued the watch Sunday, July 12, warning of dangerously hot conditions from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 8 p.m. Thursday, July 16. Coastal areas can expect highs between 85 and 95 degrees, while inland communities like Hawthorne could see 95 to 110 degrees. Monsoonal moisture will raise humidity during the watch period, increasing the risk of heat illness.
The watch follows a heat advisory that ran through Tuesday, July 14, meaning South Bay residents face back-to-back heat threats with no break between them. The watch is a more severe designation than an advisory, signaling conditions dangerous enough to cause heat illness in anyone exposed.
Who's most at risk
The NWS warned of a high risk of dangerous heat illness "for anyone, especially for the very young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and those active outdoors."
Spencer Fielding, a meteorologist with the NWS Oxnard office, said the heat wave is being driven by a high-pressure system parked over the region, pushing temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above normal for Los Angeles County.
What officials are advising
The NWS guidance is direct: drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned spaces, stay out of the sun, and check on relatives and neighbors. The agency also stressed that residents should never leave children or pets in unattended vehicles, noting that car interiors reach lethal temperatures within minutes.
LA County's emergency preparedness page at ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ lists cooling center locations and was last updated Wednesday, July 8; locations may change as the heat event begins. Residents can also call 211 to find the nearest cooling center.
Fire departments across the Los Angeles region are urging residents to sign up for emergency alerts at alertlacounty.genasys.com during the heat period, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Beach hazards compound the danger
The heat watch overlaps with a separate Beach Hazards Statement in effect for Los Angeles County beaches through Wednesday, July 15, at 11 p.m. The NWS warned of dangerous rip currents, elevated surf, potential lightning from thunderstorms, and abnormally high tides of 7.0 to 7.5 feet each evening.
The agency advised beachgoers to stay out of the water or remain near occupied lifeguard towers. A south-to-southwest swell could also bring minor coastal flooding to low-lying areas.
Emergency contacts
Residents who need to report a heat-related emergency should call 911. For non-emergency cooling center information, call LA County's 211 hotline or visit ready.lacounty.gov/heat/.
