By Sue KILPATRICK

Late Breaking News: Unexpected rain, lightning and thunder comes to Crescenta Valley on Wednesday evening. Double rainbow at sunset spotted.

“We’re having a heat wave…”
— Irving Berlin 1933 – American composer

As this week began, the influence of an early Fall heat wave was upon us. Stretching form San Francisco to San Diego record breaking temperatures soared to triple-digit readings. I often hear, “This is the hottest I ever remember it being, for this time of year.” That would depend on your  location, memory and age (the last two not being related!).  On Monday, L. A. reached 113 degrees, the highest ever recorded. At my location in La Crescenta the mercury topped off at 110 degrees – time  to consult with Bob Gregg, a longtime local resident, observer for the L.A. County Flood Control District and now weather friend. He can answer any of my weather related questions in great detail and has 50 years of valuable data for our area. According to Bob, on both Sept. 13, 1971 and Aug. 12, 1962 the Crescenta Valley reached 113 degrees. Also only five other dates since 1957 have been hotter than last Monday. So, yes we have been hotter than L.A. many times!
Is this a Santa Ana condition causing the heat? To create strong winds the high pressure needs to be to the east of us, in the Great Basin. This time, the high is centered directly over us preventing the compressed heated air from escaping up into the higher altitudes. Example: Put a pot of water on the stove, turn on the flame and put a lid on the pot. What happens? I think we all know. Intense heating and, in terms of weather, a heat wave.
Unfortunately we don’t have as much control over the weather as we do our stove, no Turn Off  control! By the time you get your CV Weekly this week, the weather will have cooled considerably, continuing into the weekend with highs in the low to mid 80s and lows around 60 degrees. Slowly, over the next week, temperatures are predicted to drop into the 70s and feel more like autumn.

Sue Kilpatrick is a longtime CV resident and amateur weather watcher. Reach her at suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.