Southern California heat wave hits hard
A rare March heat wave is battering Southern California with temps near 100°F — about 25–35°F above seasonal norms — peaking this week and possibly lingering through Friday, prompting cooling centers and health alerts [][]. Officials are urging residents and travelers to plan for extreme conditions and watch local advisories [].
The National Weather Service issued(weather.gov) an Extreme Heat Watch for large parts of Southern California and warned the event could “shatter” many daily — and potentially monthly — March temperature records, with peak conditions forecast Tuesday through Friday. Several daily maximum records were tied or broken on March 14 — Downtown Los Angeles (92°F), LAX (88°F), Palm Springs (98°F), Indio (99°F) and Big Bear (70°F) — according to local reporting. (cbsnews.com) Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordered(mayor.lacity.gov) hundreds of libraries, recreation centers and dedicated cooling sites to open during the extreme-heat period (identified in the city release as March 17–20), and the announcement says some centers will be pet‑friendly and have extended hours. The City of Pasadena opened the Jackie Robinson Community Center as a cooling center with posted hours of 8 a.m.–8 p.m. from March 16–18 and provided a local hotline at (626) 744‑7300 for residents seeking relief. (cityofpasadena.net) Cal/OSHA issued an advisory urging employers to protect workers during the heat surge, reminding businesses they must provide water, shade and cool‑down rest breaks and that additional high‑heat protections kick in at 95°F. (dir.ca.gov)
