April 18--Scorching temperatures smashed heat records across Southern California this weekend, as forecasters predicted a steady cool-down over the next several days.
In Ventura County, Camarillo hit 92 degrees on Sunday, walloping the previous record of 85 degrees set in 1999, according to the National Weather Service. Oxnard reached 90 degrees, beating the record of 85 set in 1999.
At the Long Beach Airport, the temperature hit 90 degrees on Sunday, topping the record of 89 in 1999; a high temperature of 86 degrees at the Santa Barbara Airport beat the record of 81 also set in 1999.
Monday is expected to be another unseasonably hot day, but temperatures should drop 15 to 18 degrees by Friday throughout the region, said Kathy Hoxsie, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The heat, she said, has been fueled by dry, warm offshore winds coming from the northeast, but a shift in the winds will help cool things down to seasonal averages.
"It's still going to be very warm today," Hoxsie said.
In downtown Los Angeles, a high of 89 degrees is forecast for Monday, the same high that was reached on Sunday, Hoxsie said. On Tuesday, downtown should see a high of only 82 degrees, followed by highs of 80 on Wednesday, 75 on Thursday and 74 on Friday, she said.
In Burbank, temperatures hit 88 on Sunday and could do so again Monday, Hoxsie said. On Tuesday, the high is forecast at 84 degrees. A high of 80 is expected Wednesday, and 75 on Thursday.
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In Long Beach, high temperatures are expected to hit 88 on Monday and reach 73 by Thursday. Palmdale could reach a high of 83 on Monday and 74 on Friday, Hoxsie said.
Southland residents should expect clear skies through mid-week, with increasing cloud cover through the weekend.
hailey.branson@latimes.com
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