Unusual Hot Spell Hits Southland, To Last Through Weekend

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Running 10-12 degrees above normal, Southland temperatures will reach the mid-80s Thursday and Friday on their way to producing a mild, rain-free New Year's Day, the National Weather Service said.

As much of the nation shivers under a deep freeze, Woodland Hills will reach 86 degrees Thursday, which will make it the warmest spot in the United States, said NWS meteorologist Dave Bruno from his monitoring Station in Oxnard. Friday's high in Woodland Hills is expected to be 85.

Two elements generally produce above-normal temperatures -- upper- level high pressure and weak offshore winds, Bruno said, adding that the Southland is experiencing both.

Rain had earlier been expected to materialize by New Year's Day, but that won't happen, Bruno said, adding it will take several more days for any precipitation to show up.

Pasadena, the site of the Rose Bowl and the Rose Parade, is forecast to have a high of 74 under partly cloudy skies on Monday, New Year's Day. Since 1890, it has rained on the Rose Parade only 10 times, Bruno said.

Two heat records for a December 27 were set in Los Angeles County Wednesday, when the mercury reached 86 in the San Fernando Valley, breaking the record of 85 set in 2013, and 70 degrees in Sandberg, a mountain location near the Antelope Valley, breaking the record 67 set in 2013.

The NWS forecast sunny skies in L.A. County Thursday and highs of 70 in Lancaster; 71 in Palmdale and on Mt. Wilson; 73 in Avalon; 77 in Saugus; 78 at LAX; 80 in Long Beach; 82 in Pasadena, Burbank and San Gabriel;and 86 in Woodland Hills.

L.A. County temperatures are forecast to decline marginally Friday, more sharply on Saturday, then remain mostly in the low to mid 70s through Wednesday, including a high of 74 under partly cloudy skies on New Year's Day in Pasadena, where the Rose Parade will take place.

Sunny skies were forecast in Orange County Thursday, along with highs of 68 in Laguna Beach and San Clemente; 70 in Newport Beach; 78 in Anaheim and Irvine; 80 in Fullerton and Mission Viejo; and 82 in Yorba Linda.

Orange County temperatures will again be as high as the low 80s Friday, then decline by several degrees on Sunday and remain in the high 60s and low 70s at least through Wednesday, including on New Year's Day.

(©2017 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)