Southern California is gearing up for a third straight day of record-breaking temperatures as an unusually long and strong March heat wave pushes the mercury up to 35 degrees above normal. <\/p>\n
L.A. and Ventura counties broke more than a dozen daily temperature records Tuesday when Woodland Hills reached 101 degrees, Burbank hit 99 degrees, Long Beach notched 99 degrees and downtown L.A. topped out at 98 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.<\/p>\n
It was 97 degrees in Camarillo on Tuesday, surpassing the daily temperature record by a whopping 11 degrees and the all-time March record by 3 degrees.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday around noon, temperatures were 90 degrees in downtown Los Angeles, 88 degrees in Burbank, 89 degrees in Woodland Hills, 79 degrees in Palmdale and 81 degrees in Santa Monica. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re breaking so many records, it\u2019s definitely pretty clear that it\u2019s one of the warmest Marches we\u2019ve ever had,\u201d said National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Lewis. \u201cIt\u2019s more similar to the heat waves we see in the summer.\u201d <\/p>\n
An extreme heat warning remains in place for most inland areas, and a heat advisory for coastal regions, through Friday, with officials urging people to be on guard for signs of heat-related illness<\/a>. <\/p>\n It was a record kind of day today. This is just the start of a LONG DURATION HEAT WAVE, with no relief expected the rest of the week – especially inland of the beaches. Take heat risks seriously. Make a plan now on how you will stay cool the rest of the week. #cawx<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/tp2f0RHT3z<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Orange County, San Diego County and the Inland Empire broke 13 records and tied a 14th on Tuesday, according to weather service meteorologist Paul Steward. Anaheim notably hit 100 degrees, surpassing the 90-degree record set in 2010, while Palm Springs made it all the way to a scorching 103 degrees.<\/p>\n This weather event is currently on track to be the hottest March heat wave on record, said weather service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld. Given that there is no significant change in the heat forecast for the rest of the work week, forecasters predict many more daily temperature records will fall.<\/p>\n Temperatures started soaring Thursday and Friday, and though they dipped over the weekend, the heat wave dialed back up on Monday. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is a pretty unprecedented heat wave because of the duration of it,\u201d Steward said. \u201cIt looks like we\u2019ll continue with warm temperatures, possibly even into early next week.\u201d<\/p>\n Be ready for today’s heat continuing through the rest of the work week – with little day-to-day changes especially inland of the beaches. Some relief is expected into early next week. #cawx<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/2zHEHC5ULj<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n There is about a 50% chance that Palm Springs will hit 110 degrees on Thursday or Friday, a benchmark normally reached in June, said Steward. The current record for the earliest 110-degree day of the year was set on April 7, 1989.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we reach 110 in Palm Springs later this week, we\u2019ll break this record by several weeks,\u201d Steward said. \u201cThat\u2019s just an example of how intense this heat is for this time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n L.A. County residents without access to air conditioning are encouraged to seek relief at a county pool, splash pad or cooling center<\/a> near them.<\/p>\n \u201cHeat causes more deaths in the U.S. annually than floods, storms, and lightning combined,\u201d said Muntu Davis, L.A. County health officer, in a statement. If you or someone around you experiences symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, such as dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, confusion, or passing out, seek medical help immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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