Heat wave brought record-setting temperatures to SoCal. What's next?

Key Points:

• Southern California experienced record-breaking triple-digit temperatures on Wednesday, with several locations setting new heat records, including Woodland Hills at 111 degrees and Lancaster at 107 degrees.
• Although Thursday is expected to be slightly cooler due to increased cloud cover, high humidity will maintain a muggy, tropical feel, and temperatures may rise again on Friday as clouds clear.
• The National Weather Service forecasts potential showers and thunderstorms Thursday and Friday, driven by moisture from Tropical Storm Iselle, but rainfall is expected to be minimal, raising concerns about dry lightning and fire risk.
• Power outages affected thousands of residents during the heat wave, with ongoing investigations into causes; some outages coincided with scheduled maintenance amid extreme heat, causing frustration.
• Coastal areas are experiencing unusually warm temperatures this summer due to El Niño warming coastal waters, and while a slight cooling trend is expected next week, humidity will likely keep conditions uncomfortable.