It’s still the first week of April, but Southern Californians are about to get an early taste of summer.
Afternoon highs will climb significantly on Wednesday but the hottest days are expected to be Thursday and Friday, when forecasters say several high temperature records could be broken.
Heat advisories have been issued from 11 a.m. Wednesday through 6 p.m. Friday for much of the region, including all of the coastal plains and valleys, the Santa Monica Mountains, the Inland Empire, and Orange and Ventura counties, according to the National Weather Service.
Afternoon temperatures will range from 15 to 20 degrees above normal and will reach 100 degrees in the hottest locations.
Downtown Los Angeles will even have a 10% chance of getting to 100 degrees, according to the Weather Service.
Find a list of public cooling locations at readylacounty.gov.
The hot temperatures, along with continuing gusty winds through the week will lead to an increased risk of fire danger.
There is also the potential for an increase in heat-related illnesses.
Officials suggest drinking plenty of fluids and checking up on relatives and neighbors.
Cooler conditions are expected on Saturday, with temperatures dropping significantly by Sunday.
A storm system may even make its way into the region Sunday night and bring showers into Monday morning.