A WARM RECEPTION NEW YEAR A HOT ONE IN VALLEY SO FAR.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

Saturday was like a summer's day across the San Fernando Valley as temperatures broke January records in several communities, sending hordes of people to the beach and local parks.

Temperatures in the San Fernando Valley included 82 degrees in Burbank, a mark which broke the old 2000 record for Jan. 4 of 81 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Chatsworth registered a high of 87 degrees, which broke the old record of 84 degrees in 2001, and Pierce College broke its 1984 record of 83 degrees with a high temperature of 81.

Several other areas tied record high temperatures: Pasadena had 81 degrees, tying its 1928 record; Simi Valley repeated its 2001 record of 87 degrees; and Mount Wilson tied its 1994 record of 68 degrees.

Meanwhile, the second winter storm of the season dumped 12 to 24 inches of snow in the Albany and the Catskills areas of New York, the Berkshires in western Massachusetts and southern Vermont, the National Weather Service said. Parts of Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine got up to 20 inches.

But on Zuma Beach, children frolicked on the beach, running away and shrieking as the waves chased them up the sand.

``I never want to live anywhere else,'' said George Crawford, 19, of Agoura Hills. ``This is the only place you can (surf) in the morning and go snowboarding in the afternoon.

``I moved here 3 1/2 years ago from Florida,'' he added. ``The weather here is much better, less humid - it's beautiful in the dead of winter, as opposed to daily thunderstorms, mosquitoes and 90-percent humidity. This is the place to be.''

Crawford was with Augie Gatto, 19, and Cory Beaird, 19, both of Agoura Hills, and a few other friends, riding their skim boards on the waves. The boards - which look like short surf boards without fins - are ridden by placing them at the edge of the water, and riding the waves out.

Radha Hasson, 26, of Thousand Oaks, who teaches at California Lutheran University, donned a swimsuit and dashed in and out of the incoming waves on the beach.

``It's great!'' she enthused. ``Everyone should take off their clothes and go in.''

Anna Stork, 35, of West Los Angeles, walked on the beach with her daughter, Odessa, 2 1/2, while her mother, Pere Drajovic, who was visiting from Dubrovnik, Croatia, sat and soaked up the sun.

``In Europe, it's raining currently,'' Stork said. ``The weather's a bit colder (in Croatia), but swimming season is from May to November, and my mother swims from March to November.''

In Warner Center Park, about 30 men, mostly from El Camino College and DeVry University, were playing football.

``This is why I love Southern California,'' said Alvie Castro, 22, of Hermosa Beach, who attends El Camino. ``There's nothing like it. We just have to worry about earthquakes here and there.''

Sam Riley Jr., 19, of Pacoima, a student at Mission College, added, ``I like the sun; when it's hot, I'm happy. I like 80 degrees, year-round.''

At Pacoima's Hubert Humphrey Park Pool, which is open year-round, there were only about four children and two adult swimmers swimming laps, but anywhere from 50 to 100 children are expected today if the warm weather continues, said Adolfo Paz, 25, pool manager.

Angelenos can thank a high-pressure dome over the area for keeping out clouds and cooling onshore breezes, said Bill Hoffer, National Weather Service meteorologist.

Temperatures today are expected to be in the mid-70s to mid-80s, with winds this evening and lows in the 50s to mid-60s, Hoffer said.

Temperatures Monday and Tuesday are expected to remain in the mid-70s to mid-80s during the day, with the beginning of a cooling trend Wednesday, Hoffer said. High temperatures Wednesday will be in the mid-60s to lower 70s, with lows in the upper 30s to mid-40s.

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(color) Children play in the pool at Hubert Humphrey Park in Pacoima on Saturday afternoon, enjoying the record-breaking temperatures.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer