113 degrees in downtown? L.A. broils with triple-digit temperatures [Updated]

 
The heat wave that has gripped Southern California reached a high point Monday afternoon, with triple-digit temperatures from the coast all the way inland.

As of noon, Weather.com reported that downtown L.A. was broiling at 109 degrees; Santa Monica hit 106, West Hollywood was at 111 and Long Beach was at 107. [Updated: As of 12:50 p.m.: downtown L.A. had hit 113 degrees, a record high. Stuart Seto, a forecaster for the National Weather Service, said that's the hottest temperature recorded at the downtown station since record-keeping began in 1877.

Shortly after reaching the record, the temperature dipped back to 111, and then climbed back to 112. Then at 1 p.m., the thermometer stopped working.

The weather service office in Oxnard rushed an electronics technician 60 miles southeast to the USC campus to repair the thermometer, which is actually a highly sensitive wire connected to electronic equipment. Because of the snafu, officials said it's possible Monday's temperature actually was hotter than 113 — but they might never know.]

The National Weather Service warned of extreme heat and red-flag fire dangers Monday. A small fire broke out in Ladera Heights but was quickly put out. Another small brush fire was contained Sunday night in South Pasadena. 

On the energy front, California consumers are expected to use more than 45,000 megawatts by peak afternoon hours, said Gregg Fishman, a spokesman for Cal-ISO, which coordinates power for 85% of the state's grid. 

Though the expected energy consumption is high for this time of year, increased usage is not expected to cause any serious problems, Fishman said. Still, Cal-ISO is recommending residents avoid using heavy appliances in the afternoon.

And don't forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room, Fishman said.

"Given the situation as we know it right now, we should be fine,'' he said. "But grid conditions are dynamic, and things can change."

-- Kimi Yoshino and Catherine Saillant

[Updated at 12:34 p.m.: HOW ARE YOU COPING WITH THE HEAT? Share your photographs from the heat wave with L.A. Now. We'll post reader submissions. Tell us your hot weather tales below.]

Comments

[Dave]

108 at 3pm in Chatsworth...but it's a "dry heat.! Don't ya just hate it when people say that? It still HOT!

[Dave]

108 in Northridge but it's a "dry heat!" Don't ya just hate it when people say that? It's still HOT.

[Sisao Tresed]

I heard it was so hot that Lindsey Lohan had to pour the whiskey out of the bottle and into a glass with ice cubes.

I heard it was so hot that Paris Hilton had to buy a special oven mitt for her crack pipe.

I heard it was so hot that Britney Spears had to put sunblock on her nether lips.

[JoshR]

Welcome to Texas.. oh wait.. but ya It's 75° here today :D

[Gigi]

Well, none of this is real cuz global warming is a hoax, at least that's what my husband and sister wives tell me.

[Claire]

I live in Ojai, need I say more? it is 109 RIGHT NOW!!

[Deb]

To all the folks in Texas and Arizona laughing at us, well I am sure you do that from your nice air conditioned offices and homes. Many of us in California don't have air conditioning because it is rare for us to get this hot. Be a little sympathetic and think about how long YOU would last if the air went out... It is 109 at my house right now with NO air, just fans.

[derk]

This is nothing unusual over millions of years there is change, this happened before. It's nothing to do with smog, global warming garbage, its the earth and the way earth works. Why do we think only the last 1000 years means anything when the fact that the earth, change and life has been going on for millions of years, we've forgotten a few zeros.

What's important to us? Is a better question, while some people are so concerned over a few hot days in Los Angeles we have judges who take bribes, kill innocent seniors. Has anyone noticed how our of control corruption in Los Angeles is? I can understand if you've never been affected by this corruption (or better yet if you have and you just don't notice it) but changes and laws are taking place against what the people really want. Google Judge Yaffee or Aviva K. Bobb for a start and you'll fine 2 big judges who have ruled over famous cases, they've both been found to be corrupt.

Does this bother anyone, do you know what this means?

[Todd]

beautiful up in the antelope valley today. only 101 in Palmdale.

[amplitude jones]

QUICK- shut off the water mains and the electricity! COOK THE TRAITORS

[GillenH2O]

Oh, but at least it's a DRY heat. Yeah, Right!

[Westside]

Yay.. It's finally hot.. Didn't think it was going to happen this year. Stay cool.

[doomed, i tells ya!!!!]

GLOBAL WARMING!!!!!!!!11 GAHHHAAH!!!!!

[zoe]

I live in Huntington Beach and never seen triple digits in my eighteen years here. Summer was gloomy and cloudy now this, oh no and school.

[Am I crazy or is it hot out?]

Almost as high as the unemployment rate. Let's get smoked up.

[Ben Blanco]

I think it's funny that all of these people from Arizona are making fun of us for complaining about the weather. We live in Southern California because of the year-round nice weather. If we wanted to live in Poop Stink, Arizona where it's broiling hot five months out of the year, then we would live there.

[Laguna Lucy]

“When the Sun is active, its magnetic field is better at shielding us against the cosmic rays coming from outer space, before they reach our planet. By regulating the Earth’s cloud cover, the Sun can turn the temperature up and down. High solar activity means fewer clouds and and a warmer world. Low solar activity and poorer shielding against cosmic rays result in increased cloud cover and hence a cooling. As the Sun’s magnetism doubled in strength during the 20th century, this natural mechanism may be responsible for a large part of global warming seen then.

That also explains why most climate scientists try to ignore this possibility. It does not favour their idea that the 20th century temperature rise was mainly due to human emissions of CO2. If the Sun provoked a significant part of warming in the 20th Century, then the contribution by CO2 must necessarily be smaller.”

[Ken Marion, Va]

Never got out of the 60s here in the mountains of Virginia today.

[Patrikc]

110 degrees? C'mon I live on the surface of the sun and its over 110 degrees year round.

[jim sessions]

ive lived in la for 63 years and today is the hottest ever yesterday i went bout to eat in the san fernando valley hot vas hell i felt like the witcxh in the wizard of oz im melting im melting anyway its supposed to go down tommorrow thank you lord now i cant for fall now that summer finally got here jim

[Bladernr1001]

Yea....but it is a dry heat.......

[Jimi]

Watch out, this is going to re-awake Al Gore!

[Kohl]

Ha! Now all you Left-Coasters know what a TEXAS summer is about. But right now...we're in the cool 60's and low 70's with a cold front just takng its' time moving throgh The Lone Star State. Ask ole' Nancy Peelowsee to give you a break with some of that 'global warming' feel-good bullshit!

[Marty Carlassare]

No problem or talk of carbon footprints for the city? Higher energy prices and more taxes are not conservation - or will reduced fossil fuel usage.

As long as people have money the choice will be comfort.... and always favor those that have money or saved money.

"Though the expected energy consumption is high for this time of year, increased usage is not expected to cause any serious problems..."

[cea@humboldt.edu]

Where is Al Gore?