'Steamrolled by heat waves': Ventura County records 2 of its warmest months on record

Ventura County had one of its warmest starts to summer this year based on high and low temperatures, a federal database shows.

The latest data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ranked the last two months as the county’s warmest on record – a tie with 2021 – based on low temperatures. When it came to maximum temperatures, the two-month period of June and July was the county’s third warmest.

Statewide, the mercury rose much higher in spots, including in Palm Springs that broke an all-time high temperature record in July at 124 degrees. California marked its warmest June and July to date, NOAA reported.

High pressure systems, sometimes called heat domes, regularly parked over the West, offering little relief from days or even weeks of above-normal temperatures. The county racked up a few heat waves in July alone.

"We're getting steamrolled by heat waves," climatologist William Patzert said.

How hot were June and July?

Heat waves have become more frequent , longer lasting and more intense, said Patzert, formerly at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. The summer season got off to an early start.

Some coastal spots, including in Ventura, stayed cooler – but it was a pretty narrow strip, he said.

Statewide, the maximum temperature climbed 6.5 degrees Fahrenheit above the mean in the two-month period of June and July. Ventura County's maximum temperature over the same time period was 5.1 degrees higher, according to NOAA.

Meanwhile, the county's minimum temperature – showing how warm it stayed overnight – jumped 6.8 degrees over the mean. The rising minimum temperatures are mostly due to the urban heat island effect, experts say. Areas with more concrete, black roofs and less shade tend to collect heat during the day and retain that heat at night.

Increasing temperatures can affect the public's health, the energy supply and wildfires.

What months are the hottest in Southern California?

After a cooler weekend, temperatures are expected to warm back up next week, said Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The forecast showed temperatures climbing 3 to 5 degrees per day.

A high pressure system is rebuilding just east of the region and higher temperatures likely will reach Ventura County around Tuesday, Lewis said. Temperatures could reach slightly above average with highs in the 90s or even triple digits inland.

“But not like what we've seen like in July,” Lewis said.

Historically, August and September are the region's hottest months and when heat waves are more frequent, according to Patzert. Then, peak Santa Ana wind season typically starts in October – the gusty, dry winds can increase the risk of large wildfires. Without early rainfall, there's little to blunt the impact of the seasonal winds.

"It is always the race between the rain and the Santa Anas," Patzert said.

Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260 .

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: 'Steamrolled by heat waves': Ventura County records 2 of its warmest months on record