The Humidity Hex

The final remains of former Tropical Storm Frank refused a timely burial Monday, lingering over Southern California in a vast cloud of warm, damp air that produced uncomfortable temperatures and a few light sprinkles.

Compared to Sunday’s weather--which included some heavy rains, a few flash floods and high temperatures in the 100s that set several records in the Los Angeles Basin--Monday’s was a dud.

There was some more rain, but barely enough to dampen sidewalks in most communities. It was unpleasantly hot, but that had as much to do with the high humidity as with the thermometer readings, which generally lingered near the 90-degree mark.

“You can blame it all on Frank,” said Jeff House, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times.

“For a while, Frank was a pretty good tropical storm off Baja California,” House said. “But Frank moved north and ran into cooler water that killed him. What’s left is a big tropical depression--clouds and moisture that spread from Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties all the way east to Colorado and New Mexico.”

House said the widespread cloud cover kept temperatures a lot cooler Monday than Sunday--by 10 degrees or more in many areas--but high relative humidity, which ranged between 44% and 61% at the Civic Center, made things nasty throughout the Southland.

“It’s muggy hot, the kind that sticks to you,” said Diana Qwok, a 20-year-old biochemistry student at Cal State L.A.

Gregory Hirshland, an 8-year-old who usually escapes the summer heat in his family’s swimming pool in Northridge, figured that Monday’s cooler temperatures merited a switch to a batting cage.

After a few minutes, the sweat-soaked youth had to take a break.

“The humidity does get to you,” Gregory said.

Lou Ann Sobieski sat on a stool in a coffee bar in Pasadena, thoughtfully sipping an iced decaf mocha.

“It’s weird weather,” she said. “I don’t mind the sun, but this heat is so oppressive. You almost expect a hurricane to come hurtling into Pasadena.”

Yvette Pompa, seated beside Sobieski, said she had just returned from Boston. “I never expected to return to the same weather here,” she said. “At least in Boston, everyone will be able to put on their sweaters come October.”

House said the humidity should decrease markedly today as what’s left of Frank exits to the east, but higher temperatures should keep things just as uncomfortable.

The meteorologist forecast a high of 95 degrees at the Civic Center, with top readings of 100 of more at some of the hottest locations in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.

Similar temperatures are expected through Saturday.

Times staff writers Hector Becerra and Amy Oakes contributed to this story.