Jul 14, 2006 8:50 am US/Pacific
Southland Continues To Broil Under Extreme Heat
Red Flag And Excessive Heat Warnings Issued For The Weekend
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
A Red Flag Warning denoting a high fire risk has been issued for the mountain and forest areas of Los Angeles County Friday. The warning is based on the expectation that high heat, low humidity and dry-fuel conditions "will create explosive fire growth potential."
The Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service is scheduled to remain in force until 6 p.m. in the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest -- areas where it said there will be "long durations of single-digit humidities" through the day.
Meanwhile, forecasters said weekend temperatures would hit health-threatening levels. The heat wave is the product of a strong upper level high pressure system combining with weakening onshore flow.
Temperatures are expected to cool down on Sunday.
The National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Watch, effective from Saturday morning through Saturday evening, for the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita Valleys and Los Angeles County Mountains, including the Santa Monica Recreational Area.
"The combination of hot temperatures and higher humidity will combine to create a dangerous situation in which heat-related illnesses are possible," an NWS advisory said in explaining what prompted the Excessive Heat Watch.
An Excessive Heat Watch also will be in effect tomorrow in San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties.
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
