Extreme heat to continue for Southern California through the weekend

Crowds are expected to flock to Southern California's beaches this weekend as a summer heat wave continues to keep triple-digit temperatures soaring everywhere but the coast.

Friday's heat is much like Thursday, with temperatures expected to drop a few degrees on Saturday, but still 5-10 degrees above normal.  

KCAL News has extended the Next Weather Alert for the Los Angeles and Orange County metro areas through Saturday evening. Valley and mountain areas could see highs reaching 110 degrees or more, according to the National Weather Service.

Possible wildfire concerns will continue as a red flag warning of critical fire danger took effect at 9 a.m. Wednesday and will remain through 9 p.m. Saturday in the Santa Clarita Valley, San Gabriel Mountains, Antelope Valley foothills, and the 5 and 14 freeway corridors.

Thunderstorms are also in the mix for the weekend, "primarily in the mountain areas," according to the National Weather Service.

"Showers and thunderstorms will be possible over the Los Angeles and Ventura County mountains, and portions of the Antelope Valley, during the afternoon and evening hours through Monday. A few showers spilling over into the valleys and foothills cannot be ruled out over the weekend," NWS said.  

There is a possibility that the NWS will extend heat hazard warnings into Sunday as well. "In fact, models continue to indicate very little change in temperatures between Saturday and Sunday, so there's a greater than 50% chance that many, if not all, the heat hazards will be extended into Sunday," the NWS said.

A cooling trend is expected for next week.