Heat Wave To Continue A Third Day

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Southern Californians have one more day of high temperatures to contend with before the three-day heat wave gives way to a cooling trend.

Until lower temperatures kick in Saturday, helped by a return of onshore winds, highs in the 100s are expected again in the San Gabriel, San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys Friday. Metropolitan Los Angeles will be in the mid-90s, according to National Weather Service forecasts.

Saturday's high generally will be one to five degrees lower than Friday's.

Humidity levels will remain higher than usual today, making it feel even hotter, although humidity will generally stay under 20 percent, forecasters said. For the first time this week, the National Weather Service did not specifically warn of an elevated danger of wildfire.

"High pressure and offshore flow will bring above-normal temperatures through Saturday," according to the NWS. "The high will weaken Sunday for a cooling trend and below-normal temperatures by mid next week. An upper-level trough over the West Coast will bring increasing onshore flow and spread coastal clouds and fog inland each night through morning next week."

Los Angeles County health officials declared a heat alert through at least Friday for the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and eastern San Gabriel valleys. County officials noted that cooling centers will be available throughout the county. A list is available online at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

No specific weather advisory was issued for Los Angeles County as of this morning, but a heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service monitoring station in San Diego will be in force from noon to 6 p.m. in inland areas of Orange County.