LAT's Gold jumps to Washington Post
Annual issue is out this week
Mesquite Flat dunes, Death Valley National Park/Alan Van Valkenburg
The National Weather Service says the combination of hot temperatures (over 100 in many areas) and higher than usual humidity for the summer "will create a prolonged period of well above normal and possibly dangerous heat." The bureau's excessive heat watch covers most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and the mountains of Santa Barbara County. The coasts of course will be bit cooler, and the humidity will be lower — and this the heat more tolerable — in the Antelope Valley desert. The watch extends for now from Wednesday into Friday night.
OK, so that's the neutral language of the NWS. Now take a look at some of the predicted high temperatures for inland California and the deserts:
Las Vegas: 111 (and not drop below 90 at night)
Death Valley: 122-126
Barstow: 112
Twentynine Palms: 110
Colorado River valley: 113-118
Kingman, AZ: 102-105
Today's morning report from the rangers at Death Valley National Park warns of highs from 119-124 degrees, creeping up to 126 by the end of the week. You have to admire this: the low temperature tonight for the European tourists in Death Valley is expected to be 92-97. The high temperature in July at Death Valley was..drum roll...128.
Just for kicks: precipitation this year in Death Valley: 0.6 of an inch.
Also this advice for city dwellers from our friends at the National Weather Service:
THE POSSIBLE COMBINATION OF VERY HOT DAYS ALONG WITH VERY WARM NIGHTS AND HIGHER THAN NORMAL HUMIDITY CAN RESULT IN OPPRESSIVE CONDITIONS. HEAT STROKE OR HEAT EXHAUSTION ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY WHEN ENGAGING IN STRENUOUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. THIS WEATHER COULD BE DEADLY FOR UNPREPARED CAMPERS OR HIKERS. NEVER...EVER...LEAVE CHILDREN...THE ELDERLY OR PETS IN ENCLOSED AUTOMOBILES...EVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. EVEN IF THE WINDOWS ARE PARTIALLY OPEN... TEMPERATURES CAN QUICKLY RISE TO LIFE-THREATENING LEVELS.
Hat tip: Dennis Romero at LA Weekly