World Series opener could be hottest on record as heat wave scorches Southern California
Santa Ana winds continued to blow across the Southland on Tuesday, bringing another day of record-breaking temperatures, red-flag warnings and what could be the warmest World Series game on record, weather officials said.
At 5 a.m., some cities in Southern California had already topped 90 degrees, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Those temperatures — 90 in Van Nuys, 91 in Burbank — were a hint of what was to come, he added.
“It’s been a very, very warm morning and that’s going to lead into a very, very hot day,†Thompson said.
That could mean record-breaking heat for the World Series, which opens at 5:09 p.m. when the Dodgers face the Astros at Dodger Stadium. Before today, the hottest World Series game on record was played in Phoenix in 2001, Thompson said, when the Arizona Diamondbacks took on the New York Yankees in 94-degree weather.
Tonight’s forecast? 97 degrees.
Downtown L.A., Burbank and Long Beach were each expected to top out at 104 degrees, Thompson said. Pasadena could hit 106 degrees.
Red-flag warnings were issued for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with forecasters and firefighters keeping a wary eye on the hot temperatures, low humidity and strong winds.
“Extreme fire behavior is likely if any fire ignition begins … threatening life and property,†read an alert from the National Weather Service. “The public should be very, very careful.â€
The winds should start to die off Wednesday, Thompson said, bringing a slight dip in temperatures. The cooldown should continue the rest of the week, which should end with temperatures in the upper 80s or 90s.
“Definitely still warmer for this time of year, but it’ll be an improvement over today,†Thompson said.
ALSO
Bill Shaikin: Adrian Gonzalez, a clubhouse leader, chooses not to join Dodgers for this World Series
Bill Plaschke: To reach their blue heaven, the Dodgers will need heightened focus and resolve
Records fall across region in SoCal heat wave; triple-digit temperatures forecast for World Series
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.