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The Science Behind this Crazy Heat Wave

The sidewalks are scalding. The sun is blinding. It’s over 100 degrees across much of Los Angeles. We’re in the midst of a bona fide heat wave and it’s only June. What the heck is going on?

“Things are definitely out of whack here,” said Bill Patzert, a climatologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “This heat wave is not only unusual in its intensity, it is potentially deadly.” Angelenos know that a few days of punishing heat each year are part of the bargain of living in this usually temperate city.

122 degrees: Palm Springs Breaks Record — and it Could Get Hotter

Every so often someone walks into the Palm Springs Visitors Center raring to burn through hiking trails like they’re British adventurer and TV personality Bear Grylls.

For those people, Ceej Juarez, who provides information about hiking trails in the Agua Caliente Indian reservation, has to be a voice of reason.  And that is never as important a job as it was on Monday, when a torrid heat wave sent temperatures to 122 degrees in the resort city by early afternoon.

 

WEATHER: Why is it So Hot? The Science Behind SoCal’s Heat Wave

It’s time to crank up those air conditioners, because the heat wave has arrived.

All across Southern California, temperatures will crest into the triple digits and likely break records. By Monday, the Inland valleys could see highs greater than 108 and the deserts could see highs greater than 120. The high temperatures have prompted the National Weather Service to put out an excessive heat warning that will last through Monday for coastal areas, Tuesday for the Inland valleys and Wednesday for the mountains and deserts.

Temperatures Soar as Southern California’s Heat Wave Intensifies

High temperatures are expected to continue Sunday as Southern California’s heat wave intensifies, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say the weather system that has been building over Southern California is strengthening and will cause temperatures to keep climbing higher. Temperatures are predicted to be in the low to mid-80s at the beaches and in the 90s to 100s inland. Cooling centers have opened up throughout the Southland for those needing refuge from the heat.

Dangerous Fires, Extreme Heat Causes Misery Across Southern California

A monster heat wave descended on Southern California on Sunday, bringing triple-digit temperatures across a large swath of the region and fueling dangerous fires in Silver Lake and San Diego County.

The Border Fire east of San Diego had burned 1,500 acres, and officials were evacuating the town of Potrero. As of noon, numerous areas had exceeded 100 degrees, including Burbank, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills, Fullerton, Glendale and Riverside. The 106-degree reading in Burbank set a new record for the day and Woodland Hills tied its record. One National Weather Service weather site showed a 112-degree reading in Beverly Hills.

Southland Survives Water ‘stress test’

Southern Californians are being praised for their water conservation during the ongoing drought. As a result, there are sufficient water supplies to get through the next three years.

The Metropolitan Water District’s ‘stress test’ means it will not be forced into mandatory conservation.

Is Drought Causing a Health Crisis in California?

No place has been hit harder by the California drought than Tulare County in the San Joaquin Valley. By now, most Americans have read or heard stories about residential wells going dry in the county’s rural towns, such as East Porterville, Orosi and Cutler.

But it has remained unclear how water shortages are affecting people in these towns. How do they cope without running water in their kitchens and bathrooms? How has this affected their physical health and mental well-being?

 

Colorado River Aqueduct marks 75 years of water delivery

The lifeblood of greater Los Angeles runs through the Coachella Valley, coursing through a series of tunnels bored into the rugged foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains.

The 242-mile Colorado River Aqueduct — constructed from 1933 to 1941 by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California — stretches from Parker Dam at the Arizona border to Lake Mathews in western Riverside County. Since June 1941, it’s provided water to millions of residents of Los Angeles and the surrounding counties.

San Diegans Continue to Use Less Water

San Diegans reduced water consumption by 26 percent last month, the second straight month of strong conservation throughout the region, the County Water Authority reported today.

The May reduction figure followed a 23 percent cutback in April, compared to the same months in 2013, the baseline used by state water officials.

Desalination Plant Gets Taxpayers ‘Golden Watchdog’ Award

The San Diego County Water Authority and Poseidon Water won the Grand Golden Watchdog award Thursday at the San Diego County Taxpayers Association‘s 21st annual Goldens Dinner.

The regional water agency and developer earned the honor for the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, which began producing drinking water in December. Because of the added supply, state water officials eased mandated conservation targets for San Diego-area water districts.