After days of cool fall weather, Southern California will trend back toward the searing heat of summer by the end of the week.
Temperatures are expected to increase 10 to 20 degrees by Thursday across the region, a change precipitated by a shift in wind direction from onshore to offshore, according to the National Weather Service.
The return of offshore winds will bring a warmer, drier air mass to the Southland — a marked change from Tuesday’s conditions, when highs were generally in the 70s, NWS said.
“Enjoy [the cooler weather] while it lasts because summer heat is coming back later this week!” the weather service’s Los Angeles office tweeted Tuesday morning.
Widespread highs in the 80s and low 90s are forecast from Thursday through Saturday in inland areas. Some areas will even reach the upper 90s, such as Palm Springs, which is expected to hit 97 degrees Thursday and 98 degrees on Saturday.
At the same time, the weather service on Tuesday predicted humidity would drop by 25 to 50% within the next 48 hours. That will bring low relative humidity to single digits in some areas.
Winds were already beginning to kick up on Tuesday afternoon, with forecasters warning of potentially dangerous conditions until Wednesday morning due to gusty north winds blowing through parts of the region. The strongest winds are anticipated in the Interstate-5 Corridor and the Antelope Valley, with gusts peaking at 30 to 45 mph.
Potential impacts include dangerous seas and waves, possible power outages and risk to high profile vehicles.