A significant heat wave is expected to impact Southern California starting Friday, extending a summer marked by unusually high temperatures and humid conditions. Forecasters warn that the extreme heat could increase the risk of heat-related illnesses and contribute to the likelihood of large wildfires across the region.

Meteorologists attribute the upcoming surge in temperatures to a high-pressure system centered over Arizona that will move westward, affecting California’s interior deserts and potentially reaching the coastal areas by the weekend. The National Weather Service projects temperatures could rise approximately 10 degrees above the seasonal average in many locations, with some areas possibly setting new daily records.

“This is an extreme heat event that will take place,” said Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. In response, the agency has issued an extreme heat warning from Friday through Sunday for much of Southern California, excluding the coastal zones.

V. Kelly Turner, who leads the heat research group at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, noted that the region has experienced multiple heat waves this summer, with only brief intervals of relief. “We’ve had so many heat waves,” Turner said, emphasizing the persistent nature of this summer’s elevated temperatures.

The forecast serves as a reminder for residents to take precautions against heat-related health risks, especially vulnerable populations such as the elderly, young children, and those with preexisting medical conditions. Public safety officials also remain alert to the threats posed by this weather pattern to wildfire danger, urging residents to remain vigilant.

The intense heat is part of a broader trend of increasingly frequent and severe heat events in Southern California, raising concerns about both immediate health impacts and longer-term environmental consequences.