Winter heat wave will send temperatures into the 90s across Southern California

LOS ANGELES (AP) — With spring still a week away, it’s already starting to feel like summer in Southern California with forecasters predicting unseasonably hot weather, including temperatures in the mid-90s around Los Angeles.

It’s expected to be about 20 degrees warmer than normal for mid-March on Thursday and Friday, the National Weather Service said. That means people will be at higher risk for heat illness. Officials urged people to drink a lot of water and avoid outdoor activities during the daytime.

The winter heat wave comes from a combination of high pressure and a lack of cooling winds blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, said Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist at the weather service’s office for Los Angeles.

“The nation’s air conditioner, as we like to call it, is essentially shut off right now,” Lewis said Thursday. “We’ll likely tie or break several temperature records all across LA County.”

The hottest day around Los Angeles will be Thursday, with the mercury possibly hitting 93 degrees (33.8 Celsius) in downtown LA and 95 degrees (35 Celsius) in the San Fernando Valley. Temperatures are typically around 70 (21 Celsius).

Workers at outdoor construction sites will have plenty of drinking water and electrolyte packets available to stay hydrated. They’re instructed to take frequent breaks, said Junior Pineda, a representative with a local unit of the International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers.

“And there’s always shade structures, if guys start feeling a little light-headed and need to take a few minutes,” he said Wednesday.

Los Angeles city and county officials planned to open cooling centers for residents without air conditioning.

Zack Marquez, who uses a wheelchair, was taking care of errands Wednesday before it got too hot in LA’s Koreatown neighborhood.

“Gotta stay hydrated and stay in the shade,” he said.

A sea breeze on Friday should cool down the coast slightly, but inland areas will still swelter, forecasters said.

Celebrities are streaming into Los Angeles ahead of Sunday’s Oscars, with a bevy of events this week taking advantage of the concentration of stars. But the worst of the weather should be over in time for the ceremony.

The rest of the state will also see hotter-than-normal weather starting next week. Temperatures could top 90 (32 Celsius) on Monday around San Francisco and in the Sacramento area.