LA County has activated Manhattan Beach Library as a cooling center with extended hours through Thursday, July 16, offering South Bay residents air-conditioned space as the National Weather Service's extreme heat warning takes effect across Southern California.

The warning runs from Tuesday, July 14, through Thursday evening, July 16. Temperatures inland could reach 90 to 110 degrees, according to the NWS, and overnight lows are forecast to stay in the 70s, providing little relief even overnight.

Hours and how to check

Manhattan Beach Library is one of many LA County Library branches activated as cooling centers during the warning period. All county libraries offer air-conditioned space during normal hours, but activated locations are staying open beyond their regular schedules, according to the LA County Library system.

The library's normal hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Extended cooling-center hours were not listed in county records as of Tuesday, July 14. Residents should call 310-545-8595 or check lacountylibrary.org/coolingcenters/ for the current schedule and a full list of activated locations.

Heat builds through the week

Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Oxnard, warned Monday, July 13, that the heat event would be prolonged and dangerous. "We have a long duration of very warm to hot temperatures that will worsen during the week," Cohen said.

The Woodland Hills area of the San Fernando Valley is forecast to hit 110 degrees on Wednesday, July 15, the hottest projected temperature in Los Angeles County. Beach cities may see lower temperatures than inland areas, but the NWS warned that monsoonal humidity compounds heat-illness risk even below triple digits.

The weather service flagged a high risk of dangerous heat illness for the very young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and anyone active outdoors.

Other South Bay branches

Whether Hermosa Beach Library or Redondo Beach's libraries have also been activated as cooling centers with extended hours was not confirmed in county records as of Tuesday. Residents can call their local branch directly to check.

The cooling center activation expires Thursday evening, July 16, when the extreme heat warning lifts. Temperatures are forecast to drop Friday, July 17.