Hot, dry air kept its grip on much of California on Friday, but forecasters said the weekend will bring a significant drop in temperatures and set the stage for possible rain.
Forecasts called for more of the same conditions that broke or tied heat records up and down the state on Thursday.
Even the coastline baked under the sun. One of the new records was a high of 100 degrees at Long Beach on the south Los Angeles County coast, the National Weather Service said. The old record was 93 set in 1989.
Chula Vista in southern San Diego County also set a temperature record at 91 degrees. The old record was 89 set in 1989.
Similar temperatures were expected through Friday in the Central Valley and Southern California while signs of the cool-down were expected in the San Francisco Bay Area, where temperatures were not expected to mirror Thursday's highs.
The ridge of high pressure responsible for the heat wave will weaken and move east during the weekend, forecasters said. Cooler air will arrive on Monday and Tuesday as an area of low pressure arrives along with possible rain and mountain snow.
