Gradual cooling is expected this week

A gradual cool down is expected for many Southern California communities throughout the week as another record-breaking heat wave draws to a close, meteorologists at the National Weather Service said.

On Sunday, Palmdale and Lancaster broke their daily record highs, according to the NWS. Lancaster’s heat peaked at 113 degrees — breaking its 2012 record by two degrees — while Palmdale topped out at 111 degrees, a one degree increase from its previous 1961 record.

Sandberg tied its daily record of 98 degrees, which has stood since 1934, the NWS said.

While the most extreme temperatures have affected the Antelope Valley, the High Desert and parts of the Coachella Valley, much of the Inland Empire has and will continue to benefit from the marine layer influence, said Bruno Rodriguez, meteorologist with the NWS. Today’s temperatures were forecasted in the mid-to-low 90s for much of the Inland Empire, with some marks as high as 100 degrees in parts of Riverside County near Perris and Hemet, Rodriguez said.

“The High Desert will still be pretty hot (to begin the week),” Rodriguez said. “We can expect more substantial cooling (there) as we get into the middle of this week.”

Inland Orange County is projected to see high temperatures in the mid-to-low 80s today while the coast can expect temperatures in the mid-70s, Rodriguez said.

In Los Angeles County, today’s high temperatures are projected to reach 110 degrees throughout the Antelope Valley, about 98 degrees in the Santa Clarita Valley, 96 degrees in Woodland Hills and 83 degrees in Downtown Los Angeles, according to meteorologist Rich Thompson of the NWS’ Los Angeles office.

On Tuesday, highs are expected to dip to 105 degrees in the Antelope Valley and to 92 degrees in Woodland Hills, Thompson said. By Friday, Thompson said the coolest temperatures are expected, with the highs projected at about 98 degrees in the Antelope Valley and 79 degrees in Downtown Los Angeles.

“The more dramatic cooling (for Los Angeles County) will be Wednesday through Friday,” Thompson said.

Today, an “outside shot” of afternoon thunderstorms in the San Gabriel Mountains is on the table, Thompson said. Inland, a monsoonal convection is today and Tuesday that could lead to some precipitation in the mountain and desert areas of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, Rodriguez said.

Elevated fire weather danger is expected to remain throughout the week as low relative humidity and onshore winds are forecast to continue, Thompson said.