Much of Southern California will face broiling temperatures on Friday that are likely to last through the weekend, and maybe into next week.
“Hot, hot, hot and hot, especially if you go away from the coast,” said Brandt Maxwell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service San Diego office which covers Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
But residents looking for ways to endure hot temperatures also are being asked to save electricity.
The California Independent System Operator on Thursday issued a statewide Flex Alert from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, asking for voluntary electricity conservation during that time period.
The ISO expects an increase in the demand for electricity, mainly from people using air conditioning at home.
“They issue a Flex Alert because they might reach capacity,” Maxwell said. “If it’s really hot outside and you’re already using the air conditioner, maybe you can wait to use the other appliances until it’s cooler.”
The heat wave is due to a dome of hot air hovering over Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada, according to David Sweet, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office, which covers Los Angeles County.
“It’s (the dome) going to sit there until next week,” he said.
In Los Angeles County, Sweet said, there is a heat advisory in effect from 11 a.m. Friday to 9 p.m. Sunday for coastal areas, including Long Beach, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and downtown Los Angeles.
From Friday through the weekend, he said the high temperatures will be in the upper 70s to mid-80s for the beaches while the coastal areas will see high temperatures in the upper 80s to 90s.
There is an excessive heat warning for the valleys which will see the mercury hit 96 degrees to 108 degrees from Friday to Sunday, Sweet said. The low temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid-70s.
The excessive heat warning will be in effect from 11 a.m. on Friday to 9 p.m. on Monday. He said the warning could be extended through Wednesday.
“We advise people to stay indoors,” Sweet said. “Limit your exposure to the heat (during) the day.”
If residents have to exercise outdoors or have to go outside, Sweet suggested doing so early in the morning or in the evening. He also suggested opening the windows at night to cool down.
Los Angeles County residents seeking refuge from the heat can head to cooling centers in El Monte, Burbank, Glendale, Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, San Fernando and at certain county parks and libraries.
In Orange County, Maxwell said the coast will see temperatures in the 70s to the 80s. But he said go a few miles inland and the temperatures will be in the 90s to the 100s. San Bernardino and Riverside counties will see a high of 105 possibly 110 degrees from Friday to Sunday, he said.
“If you go to Coachella, it would be 115 degrees to as hot as 120 degrees,” Maxwell said.
He estimated there is a 15 percent chance of thunderstorms in the mountains and maybe 5 percent in desert areas close to a mountain.
With the heat comes an elevated fire risk, he said.
“The good thing is we won’t have much wind,” Maxwell added.
But he pointed out that it hasn’t rained a lot in Southern California. The last significant rain was in April, he said.
As of Thursday afternoon, the list of cooling centers in Los Angeles County are as follows:
Quartz Hill Library, 5040 W. Avenue M-2 in Quartz HillFriday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Stevenson Ranch Library, 25950 The Old Road in Stevenson RanchFriday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Claremont Library at 208 N. Harvard Ave. in Claremont,Friday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Salazar Park, 3864 Whittier Blvd. in Los AngelesFriday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Valleydale Park, 5525 N. Lark Ellen Ave. in AzusaFriday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Topanga Library, 122 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. in TopangaFriday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Canoga Park Senior Center, 7326 Jordan Ave. in Canoga ParkFriday to Monday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center, 5056 Van Nuys Blvd. in Sherman OaksFriday to Monday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Pecan Recreation Center, 145 S. Pecan St. in Los AngelesFriday to Monday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Slauson Recreation Center, 5306 Compton Ave. in Los AngelesFriday to Monday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Grace T. Black Auditorium, 3130 Tyler Ave. in El Monte Friday to Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Buena Vista Library, 300 N. Buena Vista St. in Burbank,Friday to Monday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Griffith Manor Park, 1551 Flower St. in Glendale,Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Pacific Community Center at 501 S. Pacific Ave. in GlendaleSaturday to Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Las Palmas Park, 505 S. Huntington Street in San FernandoFriday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.