How a thermal heat belt in Malibu caused 30 degree difference in temps just 1 mile apart
On Wednesday night, a thermal heat belt in Malibu caused temperatures to rise to 98 degrees on the northwest side of Pepperdine University's campus, but on the southeastern side of the campus, temperatures hovered at around 71 degrees.
"I don't know what we're going through, but I do not love it," Kaili Gregory told CBSLA.
Gregory had just finished a surfing session and said that anywhere away from the beach has just been too hot in the overnight hours.
"Oh my gosh, it was blistering hot. I could never get it cool down, hence why I'm at the beach today," Gregory said.
In the foothills and canyons of Malibu, overnight temps have been incredibly hot during the heatwave, with Tuna Canyon seeing an overnight low of 96 degrees.
Just down the road to the coast, though, temperatures are down around 69 degrees at the very same time.
"I mean, it's not that big of a difference, and it's hotter than hell," Malibu resident Susan Ackman said of temperatures where she lives compared to the nearby beach. "I got up at 5:30 and it was 82, and when I left to go to school, it was 90 and when I got to school, which is in the Palisades, it was 75."
The unusually long stretch of heat, coupled with strange overnight conditions has brought people to the beach for whatever relief they can find.
"My friends came in town and I was like, 'We're going to the beach.' I don't want to go home," said Ackman.
For her part, Gregory said the weather has just turned wild.
"We used to be able to kind of gauge where the weather would be and now, it's just kind of a wild card," she said.
It's worth noting that during a stretch of high temperatures, conditions can be dangerous, especially as some areas stay in the high 80's and 90's overnight and people should try and stay as cool and hydrated as possible.
