COOLER TODAY? AREA SWEATS WITH HEAT.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Temperatures Monday were slightly lower than the previous day's scorcher, but Santa Clarita residents still flocked to local pools and air-conditioned spaces in droves.

``It's definitely picked up,'' said Trey Hajek, manager of the Newhall Ice Co. ``We've been delivering to restaurants when their ice machines can't keep up with the demand, plus we get campers and people having parties. We're busy, I know we've been staying here until 8 p.m.''

The city's new aquatic center has been running at near-capacity since the mercury's rise.

``Usually there's a line by noon. Sometimes there are several hundred people waiting to get in at 12:30 when we open,'' said Pat Hagele, recreation administrator for the center. ``We're pretty much at capacity now, and it's 3 o'clock. That includes people using the diving board, playing in the family pool, going down the slides or parents watching their children in the water.''

Even though the temperatures were slightly lower, officials at Southern California Edison still declared a ``power watch day'' and asked residents to curtail use of their appliances during the peak hours of 2 to 6 p.m.

Residents were advised to set thermostats at 78 degrees or higher, draw the draperies and turn off unnecessary lights and appliances to conserve electricity and avoid rolling blackouts.

``A power watch day means that we ask people to conserve as much as possible and, overall, be conscious of the energy they are using,'' said Edison spokesman Glenn Becerra.

``We want people to be cautious about their energy so we can be prepared for unforeseen incidents such as a power plant going down.''

Becerra said current energy use is not enough to require rolling blackouts.

The National Weather Service recorded a high of 103 in Saugus on Monday, with Palmdale peaking at 100 and Lancaster at 101. Today's temperatures are predicted to be 101 in Santa Clarita, with a slight cooling trend as the week progresses.

The heat is the result of an upper-level ridge of high pressure that began building Saturday and centered over Southern California, according to the NWS.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Owen Sikich, 7, of Valencia, above, is doused by a stream of water during an afternoon at the Santa Clarita Aquatics Center on Monday. Above, left, Haley Gunther dons a pair of swim goggles as she prepares to enter the water.

(3) Nash Boorman, 4, and Haleigh Morris, 4, prepare to hit the cool water at the Santa Clarita Aquatics Center on Monday with the temperature hovering around the century mark.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer