'IT'S SUMMER IN JANUARY' RECORD HIGH TEMPS GET PEOPLE OUTDOORS.

Byline: Grace Lee Staff Writer

Strong winds and record heat made for summer-like weather throughout the San Fernando Valley area Sunday in a heat wave expected to intensify today.

``Every year, even in January and February, you have a heat event about once or twice a month, but this one is even more intense than usual, particularly because of the winds,'' said Bruce Rockwell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Temperatures in Burbank and Simi Valley reached 85 degrees Sunday afternoon. For Burbank, this topped the old 83-degree record that had held since 1964, and, in Simi, it topped the 82-degree record from Jan. 5, 1969.

Thousand Oaks was the nation's hot spot with a high of 87 degrees.

A high-wind warning was issued Sunday afternoon for the interior valleys of Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

The wind gusts in Los Angeles County, especially in the Valley, were as high as 50 mph Sunday. Rockwell said today would be ``the worst day in terms of heat and wind,'' but added the weather is expected to cool to more seasonable temperatures starting Thursday.

``The wind could cause the most problems, with branches falling on power lines and causing power outages,'' he said. ``People should also watch out for debris, especially in the valleys and mountains.''

The winds are expected to be 25-40 mph, with gusts as high as 70 mph in passes and canyons.

Walkers, joggers and bikers turned out to enjoy the summer weather at Lake Balboa Park, where wind-chopped waters rocked ducks under the late morning sun.

Frank Navarro, 37, an architectural drafter from Van Nuys, dribbled a basketball while resting on a bench. A couple of feet away, his two children, 6 and 7, tossed a bright, plastic ball back and forth.

``We don't usually come out on Sunday, but it was such a nice day, the kids asked to go to the park,'' he said.

Navarro said even though he was enjoying the day, he actually preferred cold weather in January. ``It's kind of odd. It should be cold. It seems like summer's just around the corner.''

Kathryn De Anda, 64, of Woodland Hills had no mixed feelings.

``I'm loving it, absolutely loving it. It's summer in January,'' she said. ``The best part is it's been so clear this year. We came out today because it was just so nice.''

Kelly Arnold, an executive assistant from Encino taking a monthly walk with a group from the Steven Wise Temple, said she was enjoying the winds even more than the heat.

``I don't think I would take a walk today if the wind weren't blowing. It gives me more energy, and it makes it easier to tolerate the heat. Today is a gorgeous day.''

Waiting to take a paddle wheeler into the lake already crowded with ducks, Wayne A. Williams, 39, of Los Angeles said he came to the lake for the first time.

``It's such nice weather, I decided to explore,'' he said. ``This is very appealing park weather.''

Summer lifeguards had to be called in to watch over the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 beachgoers from Nicholas Canyon Beach to Malibu Surfrider Beach, said Lorry Haddock, an ocean lifeguard specialist for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Haddock said he would usually expect to see about 5,000 people on a January day.

``It's a good crowd and good surfing, but there's not a lot of swimming because the water's too cold,'' he said.

Meanwhile, East Coast residents shoveled out from garbage-can-deep snow, and most of Europe flooded, froze or steeled against gale-force winds or all three.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Jacob Merilo, 3, stays cool Sunday at Lake Balboa Recreation Area.

(2) Louis Hale of North Hollywood keeps his nephew, Jelani Morton, 1, in hand as they sit lakeside at Lake Balboa Recreation Center on Sunday afternoon.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer