Heat Wave Prompts Public Health Warning

A severe heat wave that is expected to linger for days, coupled with unusually high humidity, prompted city officials Wednesday to warn of a potentially critical public health problem and to direct postal workers to check on elderly residents as they complete their rounds.

In many areas of Southern California, residents suffered through one of the hottest Augusts in history. Unfortunately, meteorologists predicted little relief from the boiling temperatures during the first week of September.

Heat-fanned fires continued to smolder in Orange County, menacing thunderstorms swept through the region and witnesses spotted an apparent tornado in Pomona. Longtime residents, accustomed to the bone-dry, desert days of early September, were disoriented by the tropical, moisture-laden clouds massed up against the foothills.

Meteorologists said the unusual weather is a result of the collision of a high-pressure system--parked over the Southwest United States for several days--and Hurricane Isis, centered off the coast of Mexico.

Those two weather elements are expected to keep the Southland steamy and stormy through Wednesday.

Temperatures may cool slightly in the next few days--but increased humidity is expected to keep the weather feeling “just as warm,” said Kevin Stenson, a forecaster with WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts to The Times.

“Instead of 110 [degrees] in some of the valleys it may only be 100, but if the humidity is this high, it’s still going to feel pretty darn hot,” Stenson said.

Worried by the health dangers of continued heat and more humidity, police, fire and Los Angeles city officials warned that the situation is “critical.”

City Councilman Joel Wachs, acting as mayor of Los Angeles, urged residents to look out for elderly neighbors. He also ordered implementation of a special heat plan that requires police to keep watch on the elderly, Housing Authority staff to check on residents and recreation and park officials to keep air-conditioned facilities open for extra hours this weekend.

“As you know, Los Angeles is now undergoing one of the most serious heat waves in recent memory and we’re now reaching the critical stage,” said Wachs, who, as City Council president pro tem, is serving as acting mayor while Mayor Richard Riordan and City Council President John Ferraro are out of town.

The city has also asked the postmaster general to direct postal workers throughout the region to check on residents on routes. The objective of the plan, officials said, is to avert the sort of heat-related crises that have plagued other U.S. cities in recent years.

“We haven’t received a lot of calls yet, but we may soon,” said Los Angeles City Fire Department Assistant Chief Dean Cathey. “The effort is prevention, the effort here is to get ahead of the curve.”

Alan Heilpern, director of Emergency Services at St. John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica and past president of the Los Angeles County Medical Assn., agreed that the high humidity and prolonged heat made for a dangerous situation.

“I’m actually very surprised that I haven’t seen more heat-related cases in our emergency medical department,” Heilpern said. “But I’m already starting to worry about what might be a pretty ugly Labor Day weekend.”

In a pattern more familiar to Midwesterners, Southern Californians found Wednesday dawning hot and muggy, with high temperatures in some areas approaching record levels, including 99 at the Civic Center, 97 in Long Beach, 111 in Monrovia, 105 in Woodland Hills and 89 in Laguna Beach.

In the afternoon, thunderstorms delivered torrents of wind and rain.

The most severe storm formed over the San Gabriel Mountains west of the Cajon Pass and drifted along the ridge into eastern Los Angeles County, said Wes Etheredge, a WeatherData forecaster. By the time it reached downtown Los Angeles, the storm had lost most of its power and nearly all of its moisture, he said.

Police in Pomona reported seeing a funnel cloud as the fast-moving storm passed over. Together, the winds and heavy rains brought flash floods and damage to a handful of structures.

The roof of a Vons supermarket in Walnut collapsed after heavy rains, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lt. Mike Walker.

Also in Walnut, a handful of motorists were briefly stranded and forced to scramble onto the roofs of their cars after water suddenly flooded the intersection of Grand Avenue and Amar Road.

The National Weather Service issued a thunderstorm and tornado watch for the area, advising the public to seek shelter immediately to avoid fast-moving lightning strikes.

The storms also threatened to continue to ignite wildfires throughout Southern California, where firefighters are still struggling to contain flames from the first wave of storms.

In Orange County, a sudden thunderstorm and winds gusting to 50 mph revived a stubborn wildfire in Santiago Canyon, pushing it onto the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, fire officials said.

And in the south end of the county, firefighters battled wind-fed flames that moved within feet of houses in a Foothill Ranch subdivision.

In Ventura County, lightning ignited a 15-acre blaze in the hills near Ventura and several brush fires in the foothills of Simi Valley after thunderstorms hit about 3 p.m.

The unusual weather follows a month of intense heat in August, when several reporting stations registered record high temperatures.

As of Wednesday afternoon, authorities said they were thankful that the heat had produced only a few health problems.

But medical experts warned that more than three consecutive days of extreme temperatures are enough to cause heatstroke and a host of other heat-related maladies in the elderly or infirm. With the heat wave already four days old, precautions are in order, experts said.

For hot weather tips, call Los Angeles County’s help line at (800) 339-6993 or the city of Los Angeles’ Department of Aging at (800) 510-2020 or (800) 834-4777.

Times staff writer Scott Martelle in Orange County and Times Community News staff writers Pam Johnson and Holly Wolcott in Ventura contributed to this report.

Updated weather reports with current conditions and five-day forecasts for L.A. and 800 other cities are on The Times’ Web site at: https://www.latimes.com/weather

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Keeping Cool

Although heat is uncomfortable at any age, it can be particularly dangerous, even deadly, to the elderly and small children. Individuals with disabilities and other health problems are also susceptible to warm weather health hazards. Officials recommend taking these precautions to avoid heat-related health problems:

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Heat dangers

Heat cramps: Usually affect the legs and/or abdomen. Can signal the early stages of more serious heat-related injuries. Resting in a cool area, drinking cool fluids and massaging the cramped area is often enough to counter the symptoms.

Heat exhaustion: Marked by headaches, nausea, dizziness or fatigue. Treatment is the same as for heat cramps but should be administered promptly to avoid mild shock or heatstroke.

Heatstroke: When left untreated, heatstroke can be fatal as the body, overwhelmed by fatigue, begins to stop functioning. Symptoms include low or high body temperature, red or dry skin, progressive loss of consciousness, rapid or weak pulse, shallow breathing and vomiting. Seek emergency care immediately.

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Safety tips

* Drink plenty of water.

* Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.

* Try to avoid going outside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the rays of the sun are strongest.

* Use sunscreen when outside during the day, even if conditions are cloudy.

* Wear a hat with a brim.

* Eat small meals throughout the day and avoid foods high in protein, which increases metabolic heat.

* Skip alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.

* Avoid using salt tablets unless told to do so by a doctor.

* Work out in the early mornings or evenings. On very hot days, exercise indoors.

* Whenever possible, use the air conditioner. If your home does not have one, take advantage of public spaces (such as libraries and malls) that do. At home, keep your windows slightly open with the shades drawn.

* Turn off electric lights, appliances and the oven.

* Take periodic cool baths or showers.

* Stay in close touch with family or friends who might be prone to heat-related problems.

Sources: American Cancer Society, American Academy of Dermatology, City of Los Angeles, Wellness Encyclopedia