SOUTHLAND SHORES SWELL AS MERCURY GOES NUTS.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff WriterRecord-breaking heat sent hundreds of thousands of people to Southland beaches Saturday, and forecasters say more of the summery sizzle siz·zle intr.v. siz·zled, siz·zling, siz·zles 1. To make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat. 2. To seethe with anger or indignation. 3. is expected through the week. At the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Civic Center, the mercury topped 98 degrees, breaking the record of 95 set in 1971. In Burbank, it reached 102 degrees, breaking the 1971 record of 100. The temperature in Chatsworth was 106, another record-breaker. The previous record was 104 degrees, set in 1992. ``It looks like summer has finally arrived,'' Los Angeles County lifeguard Darrell Willey said at a Marina del Rey-area beach, where sunbathers basked in 77-degree temperatures. Athletes took advantage of the hot, sunny weather to compete in the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Lifeguard Championships at Redondo Beach Redondo Beach (rĭdŏn`dō), city (1990 pop. 60,167), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1892. Once a commercial port for Los Angeles, it is a residential and resort city with a protected harbor and an excellent marina. and in the three-day, 35th annual International Surf Festival, an ocean fitness event at Manhattan Beach Manhattan Beach, city (1990 pop. 32,063), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1912. It is a residential and beach community with an oil refinery and nearby factories that produce transportation and electrical equipment, computers, and pottery. and Hermosa Beach Hermosa Beach (hûrmō`sə), city (1990 pop. 18,219), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1907. It is a residential suburb and a popular resort noted for its fine, sandy beaches and excellent surf. piers. The Malibu Boardriders Club also hosted its sixth annual Boardriders Good Times Beach Festival and fund-raiser, the Call to the Wall. Proceeds will go to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times. For those who couldn't make it to the ocean, residents sought other ways to stay cool. Customers were lining up at the counter at Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream in Canoga Park. ``It's hot. They need drinks,'' said manager Khurshid Wala, who said business was up 30 percent. Meanwhile, the heat wave is expected to continue. A strong high-pressure system over the area is blocking much of the cool, moist air that had been cooling Southern California. ``We'll see warm temperatures through the week, with some high clouds, but the pattern looks like it will stay warm through the week,'' said Bob Burke, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Besides Burbank and Chatsworth, other Valley-area communities also experienced triple-digit temperatures. It was 102 in Newhall and 103 in Northridge. However, residents can expect a reprieve from the heat during the evenings, when temperatures will dip into the 60s, Burke said. On Saturday, Los Angeles County firefighters coped with the triple-digit heat to extinguish a brush fire near the Golden State Freeway The Golden State Freeway is a north-south freeway running through Kern County and Los Angeles County, California. Originally built as U.S. Highway 99, it was re-signed as Interstate 5 in 1964. (5) and McBean Parkway. The fire, which started at 1:43 p.m., blackened black·en v. black·ened, black·en·ing, black·ens v.tr. 1. To make black. 2. To sully or defame: a scandal that blackened the mayor's name. 3. 10 acres before it was stopped. No one was injured, and no structures were threatened, Los Angeles County Fire Department Not to be confused with Los Angeles Fire Department. The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including the City of La spokeswoman Christa Tolliver said. Three water-dropping helicopters and more than 50 firefighters helped fight the flames, she said. As a precaution, the city Fire Department placed extra companies in Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Sun Valley and Porter Ranch - areas where brush and hot, dry winds can fuel wildfires. ``There's a lot of heavy brush in those areas, and the potential for disaster is great,'' Fire Department spokesman Jim Wells said. ``With the hot sun and high temperatures and with the winds, this would tend to burn.'' CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1) Matt Kuhn, 16, of Santa Cruz uses binoculars to check out the surf competition Saturday at Surfrider Beach in Malibu. (2) A longboard A longboard generally designates a longer board variant in various .
Tina Gerson/Daily News |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion