Unusual winter heat spike breaks L.A. temperature records

Southern California’s unusually warm winter weather this week broke five temperature records Thursday as a strong high pressure system pushed the thermometer to around 15 degrees above normal across the region.

Downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach both hit a toasty 88 degrees Thursday, breaking the respective 86- and 84-degree records set in 2020, according to the National Weather Service.

Los Angeles International Airport saw a record high of 86 degrees, while UCLA broke its record with 85 degrees and Paso Robles with 82 degrees.

Much cooler temps are expected Friday, with highs in the upper 60s and 70s, according to the weather service.

Although this week’s hot weather may have prompted an early appearance of flip-flops and sundresses, forecasters warn this stretch of heat isn’t indicative of an early start to springtime.

Several cold, wet storms are expected to dramatically flip the forecast by the weekend, pulling the Southland back into the throes of winter, with below-average temperatures likely to linger into mid-March, according to the national Climate Prediction Center’s latest outlooks.

“We’re going to be really right back in winter here the next couple of days with two or three pretty cold low-pressure systems coming,” said Mike Wofford, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard. “It’s going to be a pretty dramatic change.”

The upcoming cold front is but the latest example of weather whiplash the Southland has been experiencing this winter.

The new year began with critically dry and hot conditions alongside fierce Santa Ana winds that fueled one of the costliest firestorms in modern history. Residents then dealt with a deluge of rain, mudslides and freezing overnight temperatures.

Times staff writer Grace Toohey contributed to this report.