The heat wave expected to bring triple digits temperatures to some parts of Southern California this week has everyone looking for ways to stay cool.

Perez, who has worked in the downtown Long Beach area for about five years, travels from Fontana with other ice cream vendors to sell. Though the coast is typically cooler than her hometown, she says she prepares for the heat.

“We prepare ourselves in the morning with our hat, our chair, our cart,” Perez said in Spanish. “And then we’re ready to go for the day.”

Highs above 100 degrees in some parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties are expected Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a heat advisory for the region in effect through 8 p.m. Thursday, July 10.

Areas in Los Angeles County’s deserts may reach the mid- to high 90s, meanwhile, with Downtown Los Angeles expected to reach 90 degrees on Thursday. Temperatures along the coast are expected to be mild.

“The mountains won’t be a cool spot, they are expected to be quite warm into the 80s,” said Casey Oswant, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. “The coast will probably be the coolest place if people are looking to cool off.”

With few clouds lingering at the beach Thursday making for sunny conditions, temperatures along the coast will be mid- to upper 70s. Be warned – beachgoers could get a toe-numbing cool down if they dip in the water, with ocean tempertures on Wednesday showing in the low 60s due to a strong northwest wind earlier in the week that churned up colder water and displaced warmer surface water, Oswant said.

While waves got up into the 4-foot range on Wednesday, the swell should be dropping to 2 to 3 feet the next few days. Still, beachgoers should be aware of rip currents, she noted.

“People should always make sure they are talking to lifeguards before they get into the water,” Oswant said.

Coastal temperatures will be slightly cooler into the weekend and low clouds could make a return.

In the Inland Empire, the weather service warned temperatures will be in high 90s to low 100s on Thursday and Friday before cooling slightly this weekend.

The city of Riverside has nearly 20 cooling centers active in the area to assist with the heat wave. Public pools in the area opened up last month and remain open until Aug. 14 with several of them open on weekdays and Saturdays.

With San Bernardino County at a higher heat risk, officials warned that extreme heat can cause power outages and urged residents to be prepared. The increased risk of wildfire, meanwhile, led Southern California Edison last week to warn about potential public safety power shutoffs.

Temperatures are expected to hit the 90s in north Orange County this week, with inland cities such as Yorba Linda seeing some of the hottest conditions. The heat can take a toll on outdoor workers, especially greenskeepers tasked with maintaining massive stretches of grass under the sun.

At the Yorba Linda Country Club, where the par-71 course spans more than 6,800 yards, towering trees offer some shade, but it’s still grueling work.

Course superintendent Daniel Schubert, who manages the 20-person maintenance crew, said the team adjusts their schedule on hotter days to beat the worst of the heat.

“We’ll start our day around an hour earlier, around 5 a.m., to get the course prepped for play,” Schubert said.

To stay safe, Schubert said workers are encouraged to take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water. The crew also wears breathable uniforms designed for high temperatures — long sleeves made of performance fabric that cools the body while providing sun protection.

“I think you can clock it up to somewhere around three to three and a half to four miles worth of walking when we mow green. And just honestly, being in the elements, working outside, getting dirty,” he said.

To help manage the heat, he added, “We also schedule the guys in the afternoons, when the heat is stronger, doing jobs that might be a little less stressful. We try to get them in shades and obviously just continue to remind them to stay hydrated and take the breaks. It’s a tough job.”

To keep cool and stay safe during a heat wave, the NWS advises residents to drink plenty of fluids and offers the following tips:

• Opt for an air-conditioned room to stay comfortable.
• Stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
• Do not leave young children and pets unattended in vehicles when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.
• If working or spending time outside, be sure to take additional safety measures.
• When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening.
• Learn the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
• Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing.

For information about cooling centers operated by Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, see LAcounty.gov/heat/, OCgov.com/cooling-centers, CAPRiverside.org/cool-centers and DPH.SBCounty.gov/extreme-heat-information-and-resources.

The heat spell was forecast to peak Wednesday and Thursday, ahead of some weekend cooling, followed by another bout of above-average temps early next week, according to the National Weather Service.

Wednesday’s high in downtown Los Angeles is expected to be 88 degrees, with Pasadena expected to reach 91, Van Nuys expected to hit 93, Santa Clarita slated for 95 and Lancaster and Palmdale both expected to hover around 100 degrees.

Nearly identical numbers are forecast for Thursday.

The culprit, according to the NWS, was a high-pressure system over Arizona that’s expanding westward into Southern California.

“Weakening onshore flow and subsidence aloft from the strengthening high pressure system will squash the marine layer to under 1,000 feet by Wednesday and bring significant warming to inland areas and minor warming to coastal areas,” the NWS said.

Nighttime temps will mostly be in the 60s throughout the mini hot spell.

Fire conditions were “seasonably elevated” into early next week — with brief “critical fire weather conditions” in interior regions.

The hot, dry conditions are making the area more prone to fire starts, borne out by three relatively minor brush fires that broke out in Riverside County on Monday.

An extreme heat warning was in effect Wednesday for the Coachella Valley and San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, where temperatures could potentially reach as high as 118 degrees.

The warning issued by the NWS will be in place until 8 p.m. Thursday, with forecasters issuing the traditional warnings for people to drink lots of fluids, seek out air conditioning and check on relatives and neighbors who might be susceptible to heat illnesses.

Riverside and San Bernardino county valleys and mountains will be under a less severe heat advisory until 8 p.m. Thursday, with temperatures of up to 105 degrees possible in the valleys and into the 90s at mountain elevations below 5,000 feet.

Temperatures across the inland areas were expected to be 5 to 10 degrees above normal Wednesday and Thursday. But the heat wave is expected to be short-lived, with temperatures falling about 4 to 8 degrees in many areas on Friday, when highs will range from the upper-80s to upper-90s in the Inland Empire, and up to 114 degrees in the lower deserts.

As always, health officials warn that, during heat waves, people should take precautions such as limiting outdoor activities, seeking out shade and staying hydrated.

Pets should also be kept in shady areas and given ample water. In addition, the public is reminded to never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles for even a minute, as the interior of vehicles can quickly reach lethal temperatures.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged residents to take advantage of city locations that offer air-conditioning for people to escape the heat, such as recreation centers, municipal pools and libraries. A listing of available recreation centers is available at laparks.org/reccenter, while library locations are available at lapl.org/branches.

Residents can search for cooling centers near them at https://lahub.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=d3bea5218c3b 4adca485a32c9e3fabee.

The announcement comes after the utility pledged to rebuild infrastructure damaged in the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that erupted in January, when high winds drove flames and forced SCE to implement public safety power shutoffs that lasted for days in communities across Southern California.

Changing climate patterns and below average rainfall, when combined with extended periods of high winds, increase the risk of fire, and SCE officials say they’re obligated to do what they can to mitigate those threats. Public safety power shutoffs are one way the utility can reduce the risk of fires from utility equipment.

“We know that any outage is a hardship, including public safety power shutoffs which we use because they are necessary for safety,” SCE spokesperson Jeff Monford said Thursday, July 3.

The utility issued its advisory days before multiple wildfires broke out across Southern California, underscoring concerns about dry vegetation as the region settles into summer.

Power lines have been linked to some of California’s most devastating wildfires.

In May, SCE agreed to pay a record $82.5 million to settle lawsuits related to the Bobcat Fire, which burned about 114,577 acres, mostly in the Angeles National Forest, in 2020.

In January, even as neighborhoods devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires were still smoldering, SCE was hit by multiple lawsuits. “Despite knowing of an extreme fire risk, defendants deliberately prioritized profits over safety. This recklessness and conscious disregard for human safety was a substantial factor in bringing about the Eaton Fire,” one lawsuit read in part. More than 130 lawsuits had been filed by April.

SCE has acknowledged that its equipment and power lines may have triggered the Eaton fire that destroyed more than 9,000 structures. An official cause is still under investigation.

The company has attempted to get around the danger of active powerlines sparking wildfires by moving them underground, but it’s an expensive and time-consuming process. In April, the company unveiled a plan to rebuild the utility’s infrastructure in fire-ravaged Altadena and Malibu — areas hit by the Eaton and Palisades fires, respectively. The company estimated it would cost between $860 million and $925 million to underground 153 circuit miles, along with adding other improvements to increase the system’s reliability, especially during a crisis. No time table has been announced for the plan, as the company works to secure funding.

But potentially cutting off power to reduce wildfire risk is not without its downsides.

Extreme heat is the deadliest form of weather in the U.S., killing more than 2,300 people in 2023, although experts believe that number to be a severe undercount. High temperatures can trigger heat strokes and heart attacks. They can also exacerbate asthma, diabetes, kidney failure and other illnesses, including some infectious diseases.

According to environmental scientists, the Inland Empire region, for example, once the citrus belt of the nation, will have a climate similar to Phoenix’s by the middle of the century.

Temperatures over the Fourth of July weekend were expected to be below normal, but by midweek could reach triple digits in the Inland areas, according to the National Weather Service.

Even when the weather isn’t dangerously hot, there are consequences to turning off the power, sometimes for days at a time.

Though her Redlands neighborhood was spared the devastation the Eaton and Palisades fires wrought more than 60 miles from her home, Amanda Frye said SCE turned off her power for four days in January.

“Most people lost a lot of food. I mean, four days without power, what do you do?,” she said. “People lost hundreds of dollars worth of groceries. There was no reimbursement.”

Neighbors who didn’t have surge protectors had appliances destroyed when the power came back on, according to Frye. She was also frustrated SCE had shut off her power previously for 11 days to do maintenance on the lines and installed a weather station at that time.

“A lot of time, there wouldn’t even be wind!” Frye said. “Every time the wind blows, you’re going to shut off the power, because you didn’t bury the lines?”

In January, as the Eaton and Palisades fires blazed with high winds, communities in Villa Park in Orange County had sporadic access to power for three weeks.

Frustration led to a public forum with SCE in the spring, during which the utility said it made upgrades to part of Villa Park’s troublesome grid infrastructure.

“Although we can all understand why Southern California Edison feels the need to do these public safety power shutoffs, I think it’s, unfortunately, a mixed bag,” said Councilmember Crystal Miles.

The shutoffs hurt older residents in her district who rely on consistent electricity for medical devices, mobility and home security, she said.

“Providing power comes with inherent risks that need to be part of their operating budget, not mitigated onto my constituents,” Miles said.

The utility watches for specific conditions to assess whether a power shutoff is necessary, including considerably strong wind, dry vegetation on the ground and overall humidity.

SCE said it intends to notify affected customers about two days before potential power shutoffs, either by email, text or phone call. The company also updates its website and social media with power shutoff information.

In the meantime, Monford advised SCE customers to create an emergency plan and pack an emergency kit.

More information on SCE’s power outages and safety recommendations can be found at sce.com/outages-safety.

Staying safe in high temperatures

Safety tips from the Environmental Health and Safety office at UC Irvine:

• Drink water: Drinking plenty of water frequently is vital for those exposed to heat. An individual may produce as much as 2 to 3 gallons of sweat per day. To replenish that fluid you should drink 3 to 4 cups of water every hour.
• Take breaks: Taking breaks in a cool shaded area and allowing time for recovery from the heat during the day are effective ways to avoid heat-related illness.
• Avoid some beverages: Avoid or limit the use of alcohol and caffeine during periods of extreme heat. Both dehydrate the body.
• Stop and rest: If you start to feel symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, weakness or unusual fatigue, rest in a cool shaded area. If symptoms persist or worsen seek immediate medical attention.
• Clothing: Whenever possible, wear clothing that provides protection from the sun but allows airflow to the body. Protect your head and shade your eyes when outdoors.
• Be prepared: When in the heat be sure to pay extra attention to those you’re with and be sure you know how to call for medical attention.

For information about cooling centers operated by Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, see LAcounty.gov/heat/, OCgov.com/cooling-centers, CAPRiverside.org/cool-centers and DPH.SBCounty.gov/extreme-heat-information-and-resources.

More about wildfires and power lines

• Climate change will reshape the Inland Empire by 2048
• Lawsuits blame SCE, LADWP for Eaton and Palisades fires
• How to prepare your home for power outages, blackouts or loss of electricity
• Inland Empire faces significantly higher wildfire risk, Cal Fire says
• Edison vows to underground more power lines in wildfire zones
• Edison to pay U.S. a record $82.5 million to settle Bobcat fire lawsuit
• Southern California’s recent weather sets up for a dangerous fire season

The NHC began advisories on Tropical Storm Andrea after 10 a.m. located about 1,205 miles west of the Azores moving east-northeast at 17 mph with sustained winds of 40 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 45 miles.

“Little change in strength is expected today. Weakening is expected to begin tonight, with Andrea dissipating by Wednesday night,” forecasters said.

The next advisory won’t be until 5 p.m. ET.

The system had looked like it would die out without formation as it moved east in the central subtropical Atlantic 900 miles east-northeast of Bermuda, but then the NHC said in a special 8:30 a.m. tropical outlook that the small gale-force low-pressure system was becoming more organized.

In most years, the Atlantic hurricane season has generated at least one storm by this time, more than three weeks into hurricane season. It’s the latest since 2014 that tropical activity hasn’t bred a tracked system. That year, the first tropical depression didn’t form until June 30.

Between 2015 to 2024, though, the first tracked system had already formed by June 1, the first official day of hurricane season.

Despite the late start, the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be above-normal by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The agency predicts 13 to 19 named storms, of which 6-10 will become hurricanes. Three to five of those would grow into major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.

Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.

NEW YORK (AP) — An intense and nearly historic weather pattern is cooking much of America under a dangerous heat dome this week with triple-digit temperatures in places that haven’t been so hot in more than a decade.

The heat wave is especially threatening because it’s hitting cities like Boston, New York and Philadelphia early in the summer when people haven’t gotten their bodies adapted to the broiling conditions, several meteorologists said. The dome of high pressure that’s parking over the eastern United States is trapping hot air from the Southwest that already made an uncomfortable stop in the Midwest.

A key measurement of the strength of the high pressure broke a record Monday and was the third-highest reading for any date, making for a “near historic” heat wave, said private meteorologist Ryan Maue, a former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief scientist. The worst of the heat was likely to peak for Northeastern cities on Tuesday, forecasters said.

“Like an air fryer, it’s going to be hot,” Maue said. ”This is a three-day stretch of dangerous heat that will test the mettle of city dwellers who are most vulnerable to oppressive heat waves.”

A heat dome occurs when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as a reservoir, trapping heat and humidity. A heat wave is the persistence of heat, usually three days or more, with unusually hot temperatures.

Where the heat will be worst

Nearly three-quarters of the country’s population — 245 million people — sweltered with 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher temperatures on Monday, and 33 million people, almost 10% of the country, will feel blistering 100-degree heat on Tuesday, Maue said. The government’s heat health website showed the highest level of heat risk in swaths from Chicago to Pittsburgh and North Carolina to New York.

Those triple-digit air temperatures — with the feels-like index even worse because of humidity — are possible in places where it’s unusual. New York hasn’t seen 100 degrees since 2011 and Philadelphia, which is forecast to have consecutive triple-digit days, hasn’t reached that mark since 2012, said Climate Central chief meteorologist Bernadette Woods Placky.

In downtown Baltimore, temperatures climbed into the high 90s by early Monday afternoon, bringing dozens of people to cool off at St. Vincent de Paul’s resource center. A few blocks away, the city’s historic Broadway Market food hall closed early when the building’s air conditioning broke.

The heat forced the cancellation of events in west Baltimore, said Eric Davis Sr., who spends most of his days working at a baseball field there.

“You can’t have kids getting heat stroke,” he said. “It’s just too hot today.“

NOAA meteorologist David Roth said it takes time to acclimate to summer heat and this heat dome could be a shock for some.

“You’re talking about some places that could be 40 degrees warmer than last week. So that’s a big deal,” he said.

Climate change is making Earth warmer

The heat is part of Earth’s long-term warming. Summers in the United States are 2.4 degrees hotter than 50 years ago, according to NOAA data. Human-caused climate change has made this heat wave three times more likely than without the burning of coal, oil and gas, the climate science nonprofit Climate Central calculated, using computer simulations comparing the current weather to a fictional world without the industrial greenhouse gases.

A key question is how much humidity will add to the discomfort and danger of the heat.

Maue is forecasting dry air which may be a degree or two or three hotter than predicted by NOAA, but more comfortable. Other meteorologists expected worse: Sticky, humid and even more dangerous.

“The ‘big deal’ will be with the humidity being provided with the wet late spring conditions,” said University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Jason Furtado. “The area of high pressure will allow for a lot of evaporation to occur from the wet grounds locally and regionally, which will increase the heat indices quite a bit.”

Woods Placky said to expect dew points, a key measure of humidity, in the 70s. That’s downright tropical, with some places approaching a dew point of 80 — a level Woods Placky said feels like “you’re in a swimming pool” and “the atmosphere is absorbing you.”

If this heat were later in the summer, it might not be as dangerous because the human body can adjust to the seasonably warmer temperatures, but this one is coming within days of the solstice, Woods Placky and others said.

“It will be a shock to the system,” she said.

Associated Press writers Isabella O’Malley in Philadelphia and Lea Skene in Baltimore contributed.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The thunderstorms closed Los Angeles and Orange County beaches because of lightning strikes Tuesday. Reports of lightning in Riverside County prompted safety concerns, and flash flood watches were in effect throughout Southern California.

The storm system will provide a chance of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday along the coast and in mountain communities, and will begin to decrease Thursday.

Drier and warner conditions are in the forecast Thursday and through the weekend with high temperatures for Sunday and Monday around 4 to 8 degrees above average for inland areas.

The National Weather Service says it has received unconfirmed reports of some locations receiving more than an inch of rain Tuesday.

“It will still be on the relatively cooler side (Wednesday), with temperatures slightly below the seasonal average for this time of year. After that, conditions will continue to gradually dry and warm throughout the rest of the week and into the weekend as slight ridging building from the south in the long wave pattern continues to become more prevalent,” the NWS said.

The National Weather Service warned of life-threatening flooding, dangerous driving conditions, and the risk of lightning near the coastline.

Most areas in Los Angeles, Orange, and southern Riverside counties recorded about a quarter inch of rain, though heavier downpours hit parts of the Inland Empire, where radar showed 0.5 to 1.75 inches in areas under advisories and up to 2 inches in isolated spots under flash flood warnings.

Los Angeles County

A flash flood warning was in effect until 7 p.m. for Santa Clarita, Granada Hills, and Sylmar, where isolated thunderstorms brought heavy rain, gusty winds, and possible hail. Most of the county saw around a quarter inch of rain, but some areas experienced only trace amounts.

Eastern Los Angeles County saw pea-sized hail, NWS meteorologist Todd Hall said.

“We actually have a broad area of central and southern Los Angeles County in the flood advisories,” said NWS meteorologist Ariel Cohen. “That’s because we have numerous areas that have experienced moderate to heavy rainfall in isolated spots of heavy rain.”

Cohen said light to moderate showers and thunderstorms were expected to taper off between 7 and 8 p.m.

Orange County

Rainfall totals along the Orange County coast hovered around a quarter inch, with lingering thunderstorms continuing into the evening. A flash flood warning was issued for northern Orange County, and a flood advisory would remain in place through 8 p.m., warning of minor flooding in low-lying and poorly drained areas.

Cities affected by the advisory included Anaheim, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, and Fullerton, where some areas saw 0.5 to 1 inch of rain. Other parts of the region saw less than a tenth of an inch of rain, according to NWS radars.

A beach hazards statement also remained in effect through Tuesday night, with elevated surf between 3 to 5 feet, occasional 6-foot sets, strong rip currents, and lightning risks along the coast.

Inland Empire

The heaviest rainfall Tuesday hit parts of the Inland Empire, especially in northern Riverside and San Bernardino counties, where a flash flood warning was in effect until 7:15 p.m.

The warning covered cities such as Riverside, San Bernardino, Fontana, Moreno Valley, Rancho Cucamonga, and Chino Hills. Rainfall rates ranged from 0.25 to 0.75 inches per hour, with radar indicating 1 to 2 inches in some locations. Forecasters warned that flash flooding was ongoing or imminent, with an additional 0.5 to 1.5 inches possible.

Radar data estimates showed almost 1.75 inches near Fontana and Rialto and more than 1.5 inches in San Bernardino as of Tuesday night.

There were also reports of hail in some inland areas, meteorologist Paul Steward said. NWS confirmed penny-sized hail falling in Hemet in the afternoon.

A flood advisory was also active through 8 p.m. for cities including Corona, Temecula, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, and Perris, where 0.5 to more than 1.5 inches had fallen. The Corona area saw around a quarter inch, with less intense storm activity compared to the north. In Temecula, 1.67 inches fell, and there was around 2 inches in the Estelle Mountain area, south of Lake Mathews, according to radar estimates.

“We’ll be seeing some light rain and thunderstorms over the next few hours,” NWS meteorologist Adam Roser said of the region. “It looks like by tomorrow, the storm chance will be pretty low.”

By Wednesday, forecasters expect calmer, drier weather, with temperatures reaching the low to mid-70s across most of Southern California.

Staff writer Andrea Klick contributed to this story.

The names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season are Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.

There are no names for Q, U, X, Y and Z, and each of the 21 names alternate from female to male. This year starts with a female name and next year will begin with a male name.

If some of this year’s names seem familiar, it’s because each year’s names are decided six years out by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization. If a storm name isn’t retired after a season it recycles.

This year, for instance, the WMO Hurricane Committee retired Beryl, Helene and Milton from its Atlantic basin name list “because of the death and destruction these storms caused in 2024,” according to a WMO press release. They were replaced by Brianna, Holly and Miguel — but those won’t be used until 2030.

Hurricane Debby, though, which struck Florida’s Big Bend in August, remains on the potential storm names list for 2030. The storm was blamed for 12 deaths but was nowhere near as destructive as Helene or Milton.

So a good chunk of the storm names used in 2019 are getting reused this year. Andrea, for instance, had been used in 2019, 2013 and 2007.

The only new name in 2025 is Dexter, which replaced Dorian, a deadly and destructive Category 5 hurricane that wreaked havoc in the Bahamas in 2019.

If there are more than 21 named storms, WMO initiated a supplemental list first available in 2021 for new storm names. They are Adria, Braylen, Caridad, Deshawn, Emery, Foster, Gemma, Heath, Isla, Jacobus, Kenzie, Lucio, Makayla, Nolan, Orlanda, Pax, Ronin, Sophie, Tayshaun, Viviana and Will.

Before 2021, if there were more than 21 named storms in a year it would take on a letter from the Greek alphabet for its name: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon and so forth.

Only twice has NHC utilized the spillover list. First in 2005 when it used six letters of the Greek alphabet, and again in 2020 when it required nine letters including Zeta, Eta, Theta and Iota. That was deemed potentially confusing and dangerous and thus begat the new augmented naming system.

The NHC began naming storms in 1963.

In addition to 2019’s Dorian and last year’s Beryl, Helene and Milton, the other retired storm names over the last decade are 2022’s Fiona and Ian; 2021’s Ida; 2020’s Laura, Eta and Iota; 2018’s Florence and Michael; 2017’s Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate; 2016’s Matthew; and Otto and 2015’s Erika and Joaquin.

Other storms that have struck Florida whose names were retired include 2005’s Dennis, Katrina and Wilma; 2004’s Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne; 1995’s Opal; and 1992’s Andrew.

A tropical storm brought big waves to the coast on Monday, with upwards of 6-foot surf along some stretches of the shore. Hazardous conditions are expected to run through Tuesday before trending downward later this week.

“We’re kicking this summer off with a busy start,” said Adam Yacenda, battalion chief for the Newport Beach Marine Safety Department. “We’re seeing waves this time of year that we haven’t seen in a few years.”

Lifeguards have been busy since Memorial Day weekend, when a summer swell hit as big crowds were flocking to the beach, with water temperatures warming and luring people into the strong surf.  That weekend, Newport Beach lifeguards made some 200 rescues.

The National Weather Service put out a beach hazard statement about the elevated surf, which started Sunday, warning caution primarily at south and southwest facing beaches along San Diego and Orange County, as well as Los Angeles coastal regions.

“A beach hazards statement is issued when threats such as rip currents and other hazards are possible,” NWS officials said. “Caution should be used when in or near the water.”

NWS meteorologist Kyle Wheeler said the waves are from tropical system Alvin, which formed last week to the south.

“It just now made it into our area,” he said. “The tropical system also produced some muggy conditions.”

Wheeler said it is the first storm of the year from the Eastern Pacific.

“The long-period swell produces those rolling waves surfers enjoy, which may tempt them to get out there more — but they need to be aware there’s rip currents,” he said.

San Clemente beaches had red flags flying on lifeguard towers to warn beachgoers of the hazards.

Yacenda said lifeguards are not yet fully staffed, so people should always swim near an open lifeguard tower and know their limits.

Rip currents pose a danger not just because they can pull a beachgoer out to sea, but they can also cause hazards if people are entering the water near rock jetties or piers.

With a long-period swell, the ocean can look flat one moment and suddenly a set will appear, Yacenda warned.

The rookie class of lifeguards starting their summer shifts are getting plenty of hands-on experience, he said.

“They’ve been doing an excellent job out there.”

Of those storms, the federal weather agency forecasts that six to 10 will be hurricanes — with three to five of them major ones. NOAA’s Atlantic hurricane outlook was released during a news conference Thursday, 10 days before the June 1 start of the season.

Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service, and other NOAA experts urged the public to get ready for storms sooner than later.

“Everyone should be prepared as if they are going to be hit,” Graham said. “Every Category 5 hurricane [winds at least 157 mph] to ever hit this country was a tropical storm three days prior. You got to have a plan early.”

A “normal” hurricane season has 14 named storms with seven hurricanes and three major ones, according to NOAA. A major hurricane is a Category 3 or higher with sustained wind speeds of at least 111 mph.

Last year, the weather agency predicted the 2024 season had an 85% chance of being above normal and forecasted its “highest ever” range of between 17 and 25 named storms. NOAA forecasts a 60% chance this season will be above normal, 30% chance of near normal and 10% chance of below normal.

That 2024 season ended up with 18 named storms and 11 hurricanes, including five major ones. That included three hurricanes — Debby, Helene and Milton — making landfall in Florida. The season tied the 2005 record for most hurricanes to hit the peninsula in a year.

In total, Helene and Milton were responsible for at least 250 deaths and more than $120 billion in damage within the United States. After Milton moved through Central Florida, an Orange County man died after apparently stepping on a downed power line while clearing debris in his yard. He is believed to be the only Orlando metropolitan area fatality of the storm, which killed at least 17 across the state. Helene was blamed for at least 18 deaths in Florida.

Last month, weather experts at Colorado State University forecast an above-average storm season this year with 17 named storms, of which nine will become hurricanes. There is a better than 50% chance a major hurricane will strike the United States.

The CSU forecast — considered among the most accurate in predicting tropical activity — points to warmer-than-normal water temperatures in the eastern subtropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean as an indication of an active season.

Even though weather forecasts show a season likely not as busy as last year, experts said the public — especially those living near coastal areas of Florida and the United States — should remain vigilant. The Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.

The news conference was held at Jefferson Parrish Emergency Operations Center in Gretna, La., just outside New Orleans, to grimly mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The powerful storm barreled into the southeast Louisiana coast as a Category 3 on Aug. 29, 2005 and was responsible for an estimated 1,883 fatalities around New Orleans and millions of people were left homeless in the city and along the Gulf Coast.

“Since this devastation we’ve made incredible strides” in forecasting and preparing for storms,” Graham said. “We’ve really gotten better.”

The loss of life and property damage was heightened by breaks in the levees that separate New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain. At least 80% of New Orleans was under flood waters on Aug. 31. With more than $160 billion in damages, Katrina is the costliest hurricane to ever hit the United States, surpassing the record previously held by Hurricane Andrew from 1992.