Fall Heat Wave Sets Records in Southland

Fall is here, but apparently no one has told the sun to chill out.

It was hot and sunny throughout Southern California on Monday, with some areas breaking heat records. The warm weather is expected to continue today and then start to cool slightly beginning Wednesday.

Record temperatures for Oct. 20 were set in Chatsworth (102), Burbank (98), Lancaster (95), Mt. Wilson (86), Pierce College in Woodland Hills (104), and Simi Valley (104).

Pasadena’s high of 98 fell just short of the city’s 1939 record for the day of 99.

The high in downtown Los Angeles was 91, well below the record of 99 set in 1940, but warm enough for locals to dream about taking off for the coast.

“I went to the dedication this morning for the Disney Hall and was sitting in the bleachers just thinking about getting back into an air-conditioned building,” said Danuta Siemak, who works for the Center Theatre Group based at the Music Center. “The reflection from the Disney Hall made it even hotter.”

Still, for Siemak, downtown was relatively pleasant compared to her home near Rosemead in the San Gabriel Valley, where the mercury hit 101.

Other hot spots included Van Nuys with 101, Riverside with 102, Anaheim with 97 and perennial burner Thermal with 107.

“What we had was a combination of high pressure and an offshore breeze that made it so warm inland,” said Stuart Seto of the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

“It should start to cool down by 5 degrees or more starting Wednesday.”