To a Big Degree, Heat Wave Has a Summer Feel

Summer conditions began a brief stint in Orange County on Thursday with 80-degree temperatures that sent large crowds to local beaches and gave residents a chance to dry out after last month’s record-setting rainstorms.

But even though the mercury soared and air conditioners were turned on for the first time in months, forecasters say the balmy weather is not expected to last the weekend.

“Unfortunately, another cold front will move into the area probably Sunday or Monday,” said Marty Trexler, a meteorologist with WeatherData, which provides forecasts for The Times. “That’ll cool temperatures back down to slightly below normal.”

Trexler predicted that clouds will accompany the cold front, bringing a 20% to 30% chance of rain for the Southland.

The high-pressure system that moved into the area during midweek brought a high of 87 degrees in Santa Ana on Thursday--much hotter than the normal range for early April, when highs usually reach the 60s, Trexler said.

Fullerton reported an 86 and Anaheim an 82. Lows were in the 50s. Temperatures reached 90 in Los Angeles, while the hottest spot in the state was Palm Springs with a 97.

Orange County temperatures were not nearly as high as they were during the heat wave of 1989. That year, the county set all records for the first week of April with a high in El Toro of 112 on April 6. It also was the hottest spot that day for the entire country.

Still, Thursday was hot enough to prompt Jessie Pearson and her husband, Don, both 64, to leave their Santa Ana home and head to the Newport Pier, where it was a relatively mild 75.

“It’s just a beautiful day,” Jessie Pearson said. “We thought we’d better take advantage of this weather, now that we have it.”

Lifeguards at county beaches reported more than 65,000 people flocked to the beaches to escape the inland heat and enjoy the first clear, warm day in weeks. About 25,000 were reported at the beach in Newport alone.

“This is the first time I’ve seen it this nice down here since summer,” said Steve Cushman, a senior beach supervisor for Seal Beach. “We’re actually seeing people in bathing suits.”

Ann Paulson, 77, of Costa Mesa spent Thursday watching youths walk by in bikinis and shorts while construction crews worked at the Newport Pier. She said she welcomed the sun and didn’t mind the precipitation disappearing for a while.

“We needed the rain because of the drought and now we need some heat. We’ve got a nice ocean breeze coming in, so it’s nice.” she said, sitting with her husband, Peter.

“There’s definitely more people at the beach than we’ve had over the last three weeks of crummy weather,” said Lt. John Blauer, a marine safety officer for the city of Newport Beach. “The water’s heated up past 60 degrees, which it hasn’t been for quite a while.”

Still, the water wasn’t packed, Blauer said. “Sixty degrees is still a little chilly for most people,” he said.

The beaches for the most part were quiet. Huntington Beach lifeguards reported two minor rescues, apparently involving swimmers who had not been in the water for a while and were not used to the rip currents, said lifeguard Steve Davidson.

“It’s a scary time of year for us because most of our (lifeguards) are still in school,” Davidson said. “We’ve got a lot of people down here and very few people to watch them. We’re outnumbered.”

The cold front that is expected to move into Southern California on Sunday will bring only an outside chance of more rain, Trexler said, except in the northern and central part of the state.

“As the cold front moves over the state, it may bring some isolated showers, but it will be fairly light,” he said. “A quarter-inch or less. It’s not like the (storm) systems we saw here just last month.”

The change will bring highs in the 60s and light to moderate wind across Orange County.