LOS ANGELES, CA – Temperatures are climbing again across Los Angeles County after a record-setting early October heat wave, with a Heat Advisory taking effect Thursday for parts of the county and the first Santa Ana wind event of the season on the way, according to the National Weather Service.
In a forecast discussion issued at 2:17 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard office said temperatures “have started to warm up today and that trend will continue through Friday.” The same discussion said a strong Santa Ana wind event will run Thursday through Saturday, with the strongest winds on Friday.
The Heat Advisory runs from Thursday, Oct. 15, through Saturday evening, Oct. 17, for parts of Los Angeles County, with highs up to 95 degrees. A Red Flag Warning for fire weather covers much of the county from Thursday through Friday night.
The warming follows a mild Tuesday, Oct. 13, when highs in Los Angeles and Orange counties were around 72 degrees.
Warming trend continues through Friday
The forecast discussion said most coastal areas will reach the 90s through Friday. Valleys are expected to range from the mid-80s to the mid-90s.
The NWS described the coming wind event in its own words: “The first Santa Ana event for the season is going to be a strong one.” Santa Ana winds are dry offshore winds that raise temperatures in coastal areas while lowering humidity.
Red Flag Warning and strong gusts
Los Angeles County said in a news release issued Oct. 14 that the National Weather Service “has issued a Red Flag Warning for much of Los Angeles County from Thursday through Friday night.” The release said a Heat Advisory is also in effect for portions of the county from Thursday through Saturday.
The county said gusts of 50 to 70 miles per hour are forecast in mountain areas, “with widespread gusty winds across many valleys and coastal communities.”
Residents urged to prepare for outages
The county’s release said residents should prepare for possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs and for utility outages caused by wind damage. Those outages could affect households that rely on fans or other cooling at home during the advisory.
The release, issued by Los Angeles County public safety agencies, urges residents to get ready ahead of the wind event.
Record heat earlier this month
The latest warming follows an unusually hot start to October. The county’s Department of Public Health announced an Extreme Heat Warning for Friday, Oct. 2, through Thursday, Oct. 8, covering 13 regions of the county, including the Malibu Coast and Los Angeles County beaches.
According to initial reports, downtown Los Angeles reached a record 102 degrees on Oct. 3 and 104 degrees on Oct. 5, breaking the 101-degree record set in 1953. Woodland Hills and Santa Ana each reached 106 degrees that day, according to the same reports.
Public health warning on heat
In its Oct. 1 statement announcing the warning, the county Department of Public Health said, “Heat causes more deaths in the U.S. annually than floods, storms, and lightning combined.” The statement also quoted Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis on the dangers of heat.
The department urged residents to use free cooling centers, splash pads and community pools, and it listed them for the public.
Cooling centers for residents without air conditioning
Residents without air conditioning can find cooling centers on the county’s excessive heat page or by calling 211. According to that page, unless a site’s notes say otherwise, each cooling center is open to the public during its listed hours, has functioning air conditioning, bathrooms and drinking water, and is accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For people who stay home, the page advises taking a cool shower twice a day and visiting a public air-conditioned facility.
City of Los Angeles guidance
The Los Angeles Emergency Management Department urged residents without air conditioning to use public libraries, recreation facilities, senior centers or other air-conditioned public buildings. It said residents can call 311 to find cooling facilities or use the city’s Cool Spots LA online tool.
West Hollywood has also taken up the issue. At the City Council’s Oct. 5 meeting, Councilman John Erickson proposed evaluating a maximum indoor heat threshold for rentals, saying extreme heat is a serious public health threat and not simply a matter of comfort. The council directed staff to evaluate the idea, and no ordinance was adopted that day.
Indoor heat rules for rentals
Los Angeles County will begin enforcing an ordinance on Jan. 1, 2027, that requires rental units in unincorporated areas to stay at or below 82 degrees, according to a statement from Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath published Aug. 24. “When it is over 100 degrees outside, staying cool at home is a matter of health and safety,” Horvath said in the statement.
The page also lists the county’s Cool Healthy Homes program, tenant rights information, cooling center locations and the 211 hotline.
In the city of Los Angeles, the City Council unanimously passed a motion by Councilmembers Hernandez and Blumenfield to set a maximum indoor temperature threshold for rental housing units, according to the title of the council district’s announcement.
Cooling trend expected to begin Sunday
The NWS forecast discussion said a rapid cooling trend is expected to begin Sunday for coastal areas, with chances of rain by mid-week. The Heat Advisory and the Red Flag Warning remain in effect for the periods the weather service and Los Angeles County have announced.
