Want better ways to keep your dog hydrated on the go? Check out these dog hydration tips to help them drink more when you’re on the move!
Keeping your dog well-hydrated helps regulate their body temperature, supports joint and organ function, and prevents dangerous issues like heat exhaustion. When you’re traveling or exercising together, dog hydration is even more important. However, it can be challenging to make sure your dog drinks enough on the go. Here are some great tips for your adventures at any time of year!
Equipment That’ll Make On-the-Go Dog Hydration Easier
A few simple tools and tricks can make canine hydration a breeze when you’re out and about, whether you’re hiking, on the water, out in the back country, road tripping, or going on a journey:
Portable or collapsible bowl: Easy to pack, and your dog can drink anywhere
Saddlebag: A wearable pack for your dog that simplifies carrying extra water
Pet water bottle: Holds water, and the lid doubles as a bowl
Tips to Encourage Water Consumption
Even though dogs need water to survive, they can still be picky about how and when they drink. And then add stress from something like travel, extreme temperatures, or exercise and you can have a situation where there’s an increased risk of dehydration. Use these tips to help your pup drink enough when you’re out and about:
Water additives or alternatives: Low-sodium broth, fruit juice, and liquid toppers can make drinking more appealing and supply additional nutrients.
Bring their bowl: Something that smells and feels like home can make them feel more relaxed.
Take regular breaks in shady spots: Stop every 20 to 30 minutes during exercise/summer activities or every two to three hours during a trip.
Use positive reinforcement: When your dog takes a drink, let them know what a good pup they are.
Keep it cool: Dogs typically prefer cool water to room temperature or ice water.
Try ice: Some dogs love ice, and it can help to keep them hydrated if it’s feasible to bring a small cooler with you.
Watching for Signs of Dehydration
Dehydration can develop quickly during heat, travel, or exercise, even during the cooler months. Severe dehydration can become an emergency, so recognizing these signs early is essential:
Heavy panting
Dry or sticky gums
Sunken eyes
Lethargy
Loss of skin elasticity
If your dog shows signs of dehydration, offer fresh water right away and move them to a cool, shaded area. If symptoms don’t improve quickly—or if your dog seems weak, lethargic, or refuses to drink—contact your veterinarian immediately.
Keep Your Pooch Hydrated with Come-pooch-a!
Come-pooch-a bone broth from NutriSource is a delicious, nutritious way to encourage dog hydration—while also giving a gut-healthy boost! This meaty, one-of-a-kind liquid topper contains prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics that support the gut and promote improved nutrient utilization while making every meal a treat. It can soften kibble or double as an on-the-go hydration booster, encouraging picky eaters and drinkers alike! And the convenient, sealable pouch makes it the ideal hydration companion for adventures and travel.
Animal Wellness is North America’s top natural health and lifestyle magazine for dogs and cats, with a readership of over one million every year. AW features articles by some of the most renowned experts in the pet industry, with topics ranging from diet and health related issues, to articles on training, fitness and emotional well being.
While a groundhog in Pennsylvania has predicted six more weeks of winter and cold-stunned iguanas fall from trees in Florida, Southern California is working up a sweat.
A midwinter heat wave has descended on much of the state and is expected to spike temperatures as much as 20 degrees above normal in the coming week.
The summer-like heat is thanks to a ridge of high pressure lingering high in the atmosphere that extends through the San Francisco Bay Area and into the Pacific Northwest. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service expect it to last through the end of the week and potentially through Super Bowl Sunday.
After a cooler Monday for the L.A. area, another push of warm weather may bring near-record temperatures by Wednesday — potentially reaching 90 degrees across the inland coast and valley areas of L.A. and Ventura counties, according to the weather service.
The thermometer is expected to tip above 85 degrees in much of Southern California on Wednesday, according to forecasters.
(National Weather Service)
The high-pressure ridge this week is expected to go “all the way up through Canada into southern Alaska,” said Carol Ciliberti, a meteorologist with the weather service. “It’s pretty impressive.”
Moderate Santa Ana winds, which may bring gusts up to 50 mph in the mountains, could add some additional heat to the region.
While downtown Los Angeles and Los Angeles International Airport tied daily record-high temperatures Friday, other parts of the United States set new daily record lows.
Nearly half of Americans were under cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings Sunday. Frigid Arctic air, winter storms and a “bomb cyclone” dumped heavy snow on New England, triggered flight cancellations in North Carolina and tested the limits of power systems in the South.
Bomb cyclones typically occur when Arctic air creeps south and clashes with warm air, creating a storm that rapidly intensifies as its pressure suddenly drops — or “bombs out.”
It’s a common occurrence for the Northeastern U.S. This one is unique in how far south it reached.
Along the West Coast, air from the high-pressure shelf gets hotter as it sinks toward the ground. A similar phenomenon heats up Santa Ana winds as air from high above the Great Basin descends and races out to sea.
In the coming week, it’ll result in temperatures reaching roughly 15 degrees higher than normal in the Bay Area, and around 20 degrees higher than normal in Southern California. The trend in the Bay Area is expected to hold through Super Bowl Sunday, which will be held in Santa Clara.
“We’re going to see that high pressure really sticking around,” said Rachel Kennedy, a meteorologist with the weather service.
On game day, temperatures are still expected to be in the mid- to upper 60s for the Bay Area, but residents (and fans) might see some fog that morning, Kennedy said.
Despite the hot and windy weather in Southern California, vegetation is still holding enough moisture from the last rain that there is little risk of a major wildfire, said David Gomberg, a weather service meteorologist.
“You can still get small fires,” Gomberg said. “But the chances of it spreading into a major fire are minimal because of that moisture. It doesn’t spread easily.”
The weather service coordinates with fire agencies to rate fire risk, Gomberg said. The fire agencies take measurements of vegetation moisture in the field and forward the results to the weather service every two to four weeks.
The weather service’s models indicate that some light rain is in store for the region next week, with temperatures dropping to a more reasonable 5 to 10 degrees above average — although Ciliberti noted that without a crystal ball it was tough to say exactly when the moisture and cooler temperatures might arrive.
Freeze warnings in Central Florida; record low temps expected
INCIDENTS WHERE WE HAD TO RESCUE SOME KIDS BECAUSE OF THE SHILO ICE TO THE LARGE LAKES. LET ME TAKE YOU BACK OUTSIDE. NO ICE. CURRENTLY IN ORLANDO, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME ICE NORTH AND WEST OF TOWN COME DAYBREAK TOMORROW MORNING WITH TEMPERATURES THAT WILL BE IN THE 20S NORTH AND WEST OF I-4, AROUND FREEZING OR JUST BELOW FREEZING. JUST NORTHWEST OF I-4 AS WELL. COLD, PROLONGED COLD. WE HAD A FREEZE THIS MORNING. WE HAVE A FREEZE TOMORROW MORNING AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FREEZE AGAIN THURSDAY MORNING, AND THEN WE’LL GET A SHORT REPRIEVE. AND THEN THE BIG BLAST OF COLD AIR LOOKS TO BE SETTING ON UP NOW FOR SUNDAY MORNING AND MONDAY MORNING LIVE. LOOK IN A LOVELY SHOT OF NEW SMYRNA BEACH, THE BARRIER ISLAND THERE 36 DEGREES 36 IN THE VILLAGES, 41 DOWNTOWN, 40 SAINT CLOUD. GOOD EVENING TO YOU A GOOD FOLKS. MELBOURNE AND PALM BAY, RIGHT AROUND 42 DEGREES. LOOK AT THE PINK. THAT IS THE SINGLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES RIGHT NOW ACROSS A GOOD CHUNK OF THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES AND THE NORTHEAST. AND WITH THAT FRESH SNOW PACK, THAT COLD AIR HAS COME PRETTY FAR TO THE SOUTH. LOOK AT OCALA OUT THE DOOR. TOMORROW MORNING. WE’RE GOING TO BE RUNNING ABOUT 2627 DEGREES THERE IN BETWEEN THE HOURS. YOU TAKE A LOOK AT DAYTONA BEACH DROPPING TO ABOUT FREEZING AND RECOVERING ONLY TO 49 BY THE 11:00 HOUR. LOOK AT THE DEEP BLUE THERE. THAT IS THE EXTENDED STAY OF SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES THERE AT OR BELOW 28 FOR SEVERAL HOURS. NOW HERE IN MARION, SUMTER, AND PORTIONS OF LAKE COUNTY. LOOK AT DELAND, 30 PALM COAST AGAIN OVER TOWARDS THE AIRPORT WILL BE RUNNING IN THE 2829 DEGREE RANGE. THE EASTERN SIDE OF PALM COAST, A LITTLE BIT WARMER, GOING TO BE RUNNING AT FREEZING OR JUST ABOVE IT. LOOK AT TITUSVILLE COMING IN AT ABOUT 34 DEGREES SUMTER COUNTY. HERE WE GO. HERE’S YOUR FREEZE DURATION. NOW RUTLAND. THE LONGEST 8 TO 9. THE VILLAGES, WILDWOOD, SOMERVILLE, BUSHNELL SEVEN EIGHT HOUR FREEZE DURATION. WEBSTER COMING IN AT ABOUT 6 TO 7 HOURS. OVER TO LAKE COUNTY. NOW LOOK AT ASTER PAISLEY, 6 TO 7 HOUR FREEZE DURATION. UMATILLA, LEESBURG 3 TO 4, 5 TO 6, RESPECTIVELY. MOUNT DORA, EUSTIS, CLERMONT AND GROVELAND, ABOUT 2 TO 4 HOUR FREEZE DURATION. FOR YOU GOOD FOLKS. WE’RE NOT DONE YET. I WANT TO TAKE YOU TO FLAGLER COUNTY. BIMINI, 9 TO 10 HOURS. BUT NOW ON TO THE SHELL BLUFF WESTERN INTERIOR, FLAGLER COUNTY 8 TO 9 HOURS. THE FAR WESTERN SIDE THERE OF PALM COAST COULD BE AROUND 7 TO 8 HOURS OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES, WHEREAS THE EASTERN SIDE, JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT TWO HOURS OF FREEZING DURATION FOR YOU. MARYLAND AND FLAGLER BEACH ON THE SAND, YOU WILL NOT HAVE FREEZE. LEON SPRINGS, DELAND, ORANGE CITY 6 TO 7 HOURS. STILL TOTAL OF 5 TO 6. DAYTONA BEACH AIRPORT 2 TO 3 ON THE SAND ZERO. NEW SMYRNA BEACH COMING IN AT ZERO. ALL RIGHT, LET’S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER. CHILLY TONIGHT. NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. TOMORROW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER COLD SPELL. ANOTHER COLD DAY, MAYBE JUST A FEW DEGREES WARMER, WELL BELOW THE NORMAL TEMPERATURE OF 72. WE HAVE A FREEZE WATCH ALREADY UP NOW FOR THURSDAY MORNING. WE’RE ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF HIGH PRESSURE NOW. AGAIN ON THURSDAY. BY FRIDAY, IT WILL HEAD TO THE EAST. THINGS WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE. THOSE TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB UP INTO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 60S. THAT STORM SYSTEM WILL CRANK UP AND BRING IN THAT SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THE TEMPERATURES FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THERE’S OCALA 65. ON FRIDAY. IT’S GOING TO FEEL PRETTY GOOD. A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING ABOUT THAT SNOW. IS IT GOING TO STAY NORTH AND EAST OF CENTRAL FLORIDA? IT’S GOING TO GET AWFULLY CLOSE, THOUGH, TO JACKSONVILLE. FOR THOSE OF YOU LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF SNOW. ALL RIGHT. FRIGID WINTER BLAST. THERE’S A LOOK NOW SUNDAY MORNING, 20 IN OCALA, 26, ORLANDO, 26, IN PALM BAY. ALL OF THESE SITES SHATTERING THE RECORD LOWS FOR THE DATE ON SUNDAY BY A GOOD MARGIN. LET’S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER HERE FOR YOU AGAIN, AS YOU CAN SEE, IMPACT WEATHER WEDNESDAY AND THUR
Freeze warnings in Central Florida; record low temps expected
A powerful cold front moved into Florida on Tuesday morning, bringing a severe blast of Arctic air.Wind chills will drop into the 20s early across Central Florida. The highest temperatures will reach the 40s and 50s. Cold weather advisories are in effect through 9 a.m., and freeze warnings are in place through 9 a.m. Wednesday.WESH 2’s First Warning Weather team has declared Impact Weather for several days as we enter the cold stretch. Those days include Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Sunday has been declared a Severe Weather Warning Day. Cold weather advisoryA cold weather advisory will be in effect for most of Central Florida, as temperatures will feel like they will drop into the 20s and 30s. Freeze warningA freeze warning will be in effect for Volusia, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. On Sunday, feel-like temperatures across Central Florida are expected to dip into the single digits and teens.That’s why WESH 2’s First Warning Weather team has declared Severe Weather Warning Day for Sunday and Monday. Flurries in Central Florida? The GFS model hints at the possibility of flurries in Central Florida as moisture and cold air converge.However, this forecast remains uncertain at this time.First Warning WeatherStay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.What is Impact Weather?Impact Weather suggests weather conditions could be disruptive or a nuisance for travel and day-to-day activities.What is a Severe Weather Warning Day?A Severe Weather Warning Day suggests weather conditions that could potentially harm life or property.
A powerful cold front moved into Florida on Tuesday morning, bringing a severe blast of Arctic air.
Wind chills will drop into the 20s early across Central Florida. The highest temperatures will reach the 40s and 50s.
Cold weather advisories are in effect through 9 a.m., and freeze warnings are in place through 9 a.m. Wednesday.
WESH 2’s First Warning Weather team has declared Impact Weather for several days as we enter the cold stretch. Those days include Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Sunday has been declared a Severe Weather Warning Day.
Cold weather advisory
A cold weather advisory will be in effect for most of Central Florida, as temperatures will feel like they will drop into the 20s and 30s.
Freeze warning
A freeze warning will be in effect for Volusia, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties.
On Sunday, feel-like temperatures across Central Florida are expected to dip into the single digits and teens.
That’s why WESH 2’s First Warning Weather team has declared Severe Weather Warning Day for Sunday and Monday.
WESH 2 News
WX Central Florida Jan 27-Feb. 2
Flurries in Central Florida?
The GFS model hints at the possibility of flurries in Central Florida as moisture and cold air converge.
However, this forecast remains uncertain at this time.
First Warning Weather
Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.
Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.
Following rare snowfall and freezing temperatures in Florida, another powerful storm is set to strike multiple states across the nation this weekend. The storm arrived on Friday and is expected to continue through the weekend, potentially becoming a catastrophic event stretching from the eastern region to the Deep South. The ice accumulations will start Saturday morning in Texas, then head toward the Carolinas on Sunday morning.Winter storm warnings have been issued for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. Ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of Alabama. The National Weather Service said life-threatening conditions are expected as wind chills plunge to minus 50 degrees in the north while temperatures fall below freezing all the way to the Gulf Coast. Ice storm conditions are likely across North Georgia and parts of Central Georgia. Forecasters said that the ice could weigh down trees and power lines, leading to widespread outages.The storm is expected to disrupt travel at major hub airports in Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Tennessee and Charlotte in North Carolina, according to AP News.What’s causing this? A clash between unusually warm Arctic waters and icy continental air is warping the polar vortex, sending a punishing wave of extreme cold sweeping across the United States, according to AP News.Florida impactsThis weather is not expected to bring snow to Central Florida. However, residents should expect a cold front to bring a few showers Sunday into Monday. Temperatures will reach into the mid-80s this weekend in Central Florida. By Monday, cooler air will move into the region as highs reach the 60s.First Warning Weather Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Following rare snowfall and freezing temperatures in Florida, another powerful storm is set to strike multiple states across the nation this weekend.
The storm arrived on Friday and is expected to continue through the weekend, potentially becoming a catastrophic event stretching from the eastern region to the Deep South.
The ice accumulations will start Saturday morning in Texas, then head toward the Carolinas on Sunday morning.
Winter storm warnings have been issued for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. Ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of Alabama.
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The National Weather Service said life-threatening conditions are expected as wind chills plunge to minus 50 degrees in the north while temperatures fall below freezing all the way to the Gulf Coast.
Ice storm conditions are likely across North Georgia and parts of Central Georgia.
Forecasters said that the ice could weigh down trees and power lines, leading to widespread outages.
The storm is expected to disrupt travel at major hub airports in Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Tennessee and Charlotte in North Carolina, according to AP News.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
What’s causing this?
A clash between unusually warm Arctic waters and icy continental air is warping the polar vortex, sending a punishing wave of extreme cold sweeping across the United States, according to AP News.
Florida impacts
This weather is not expected to bring snow to Central Florida. However, residents should expect a cold front to bring a few showers Sunday into Monday.
Temperatures will reach into the mid-80s this weekend in Central Florida. By Monday, cooler air will move into the region as highs reach the 60s.
First Warning Weather
Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.
Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.
Denver broke seven weather records last month and came close to breaking the record for warmest December in city history, according to the National Weather Service.
By the time the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, transitioning Denver into 2026, Denver had officially recorded its second-warmest December on record, according to the weather service.
Cold spells at the beginning and end of the month kept the city from breaking the overall December record, meteorologists said.
But the city still broke daily temperature records seven times in the month, including on Christmas Eve and Christmas. It also documented 21 days where the average temperature was more than 6 degrees above normal, according to the weather service.
The latest first snow in Denver was recorded on Dec. 10, 2021, weather service records show. That year also hosted the longest snow drought documented in Denver, with no snow falling in the city for 232 days.
A Baltimore County knitter’s unique scarf is not only vibrant: Each color signifies the daily weather.At her Maryland home, Rose Armentrout has an entire room dedicated to her knitting yarn and needles.”I try to organize it by type,” Armentrout told sister station WBAL-TV. “This bin is the cotton and this bin is the cashmere.”The room serves as Armentrout’s safe space, a sign of her dedication to knitting.”It helps you get through a lot of stuff. My husband and I both have had cancer. He is going through treatment now, so there’s a lot of hours spent sitting at the cancer center. So, I knit,” Armentrout said. “When I was going through treatments, I knitted scarves for all the nurses and doctors.”This year, Armentrout embarked on a project to knit a scarf that reflects the temperature for each day.”I made myself up a card, so I do single-digits is lilac, and 10 to 20 (degrees) is purple; 21 to 30, and so on by 10 digits, within that range,” Armentrout said. “I knit two rows, and whatever color I have decided for that temperature range, it’s like, ‘OK, I accomplished something today.’”Armentrout first saw the idea on Ravelry, a social networking site that connects knitters from all over the world.”My first thought was, ‘That’s weird.’ And then, it was intriguing as I looked into it,” Armentrout said. “The original idea behind it, though, was actually tracking temperature changes. It was about climate change, to see how much it has changed over the years, and how we are being affected by climate change.”As Armentrout completes her first temperature scarf with a few days left in 2025, she plans to wear it proudly.”I’m calling it my ‘Dr. Whoish temperature scarf’ because it’s very Dr. Whoish to me with all the colors, but it’s interesting, too, that you can see from the cold to the hot and back again,” Armentrout said.Armentrout is not finished with her knitting projects. She plans to knit another temperature scarf next year with the temperatures from her mother’s birth year, 1927, and compare them to this year’s temperatures.
A Baltimore County knitter’s unique scarf is not only vibrant: Each color signifies the daily weather.
At her Maryland home, Rose Armentrout has an entire room dedicated to her knitting yarn and needles.
“I try to organize it by type,” Armentrout told sister station WBAL-TV. “This bin is the cotton and this bin is the cashmere.”
The room serves as Armentrout’s safe space, a sign of her dedication to knitting.
“It helps you get through a lot of stuff. My husband and I both have had cancer. He is going through treatment now, so there’s a lot of hours spent sitting at the cancer center. So, I knit,” Armentrout said. “When I was going through treatments, I knitted scarves for all the nurses and doctors.”
This year, Armentrout embarked on a project to knit a scarf that reflects the temperature for each day.
“I made myself up a card, so I do single-digits is lilac, and 10 to 20 (degrees) is purple; 21 to 30, and so on by 10 digits, within that range,” Armentrout said. “I knit two rows, and whatever color I have decided for that temperature range, it’s like, ‘OK, I accomplished something today.’”
Armentrout first saw the idea on Ravelry, a social networking site that connects knitters from all over the world.
“My first thought was, ‘That’s weird.’ And then, it was intriguing as I looked into it,” Armentrout said. “The original idea behind it, though, was actually tracking temperature changes. It was about climate change, to see how much it has changed over the years, and how we are being affected by climate change.”
WBAL
Rose Armentrout embarked on a project to knit a scarf that reflects the temperature for each day.
As Armentrout completes her first temperature scarf with a few days left in 2025, she plans to wear it proudly.
“I’m calling it my ‘Dr. Whoish temperature scarf’ because it’s very Dr. Whoish to me with all the colors, but it’s interesting, too, that you can see from the cold to the hot and back again,” Armentrout said.
Armentrout is not finished with her knitting projects. She plans to knit another temperature scarf next year with the temperatures from her mother’s birth year, 1927, and compare them to this year’s temperatures.
Northern California forecast: Morning fog will be followed by some afternoon sunshine
THEY MIGHT GET SOME SNOW ON NEW YEAR’S EVE. YES, WE’LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT. BUT AS FOR TODAY, NORMAL. IT ONLY TOOK US A LITTLE LESS THAN A MONTH TO GET TO NORMAL. 54 DEGREES ARE OBSERVED HIGH TODAY. THE NORMAL 55 AND OUR LOW OF 38 DEGREES THIS MORNING. SPOT ON. I WILL SAY, THOUGH, THAT THAT RECORD OF 68 DEGREES DOES LOOK PRETTY NICE RIGHT NOW. AS WE STEP OUTSIDE, WE’VE GOT MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND IT IS COOL. TEMPERATURES ARE NOW DROPPING IN THE 40S. WE HAVE UPPER 40S IN MODESTO. WE EVEN HAVE MID 40S IN THE FOOTHILLS. NOT AS COLD AS TRUCKEE AND SOUTH LAKE TAHOE SOME SPOTS DOWN TO TEENS. AND CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREEZE. THIS AFTERNOON. THEY DID PICK UP IN TEN 15MPH RIGHT NOW. JUST A BREEZE LINGERING IN MODESTO THE REST OF THE AREA CALMING DOWN. BUT THAT BREEZE SURE HELPED US OUT TODAY. CHECK OUT THIS LITTLE BALL OF LOW CLOUDS THAT DEVELOPED IN THE NORTH VALLEY. WELL, THAT TRY TO SNEAK INTO OUR AREA, BUT THE BREEZES KEPT IT MOVING RIGHT ALONG. AND THEN WE ENDED THE DAY WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES, BUT WHEN IT PASSED OVER US, I THINK A LITTLE SOME OF US WERE JUST A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS THAT IT MIGHT STICK AROUND. NOT A LOT GOING ON THE RADAR AND SATELLITE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DAYS. WE DO HAVE A WIND OUT OF THE NORTH AS WE SIT IN BETWEEN OUR UNSETTLED WEATHER THAT’S SWINGING OFF TO THE EAST, AND HIGH PRESSURE THAT’S PUSHING RIGHT UP AGAINST IT. AS THAT PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT NORTH WIND, AND TOMORROW WE’RE HOPING FOR MORE, MAINLY TO KEEP THAT FOG OR ANY SORT OF LOW CLOUDS AT BAY. IT LOOKS LIKE THE SPOTS THAT MIGHT EXPERIENCE A LITTLE BREEZE TOMORROW MIGHT BE THE VERY NORTHWEST VALLEY. COLUSA WINTERS, CLEAR LAKE. YOU MIGHT GET A BREEZE TEN 20MPH. THE REST OF US WON’T NOTICE TOO MUCH IN TERMS OF WIND SPEED, SO HOPEFULLY THAT STILL WORKS TO CLEAR OUT A LITTLE FOG THAT MIGHT DEVELOP IN THE MORNING, AND WE ARE EXPECTING THAT BY AFTERNOON. PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING IN THE UPPER 40S IN WOODLAN AND DAVIS SACRAMENTO LOOKING AT A HIGH OF AROUND 50 DEGREES IN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. SAME STORY MIGHT GET A LITTLE PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. ONCE THAT LIFTS AWAY, TEMPERATURES CLIMB INTO THE LOW 50S. THEY’LL BE A TOUCH WARMER THAN US HERE IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. QUIET DAY IN THE DELTA IN THE BAY AREA, 55 IN SAN FRANCISCO. ALSO DRYING OUT IN FAIRFIELD. HIGHS NEAR 51 DEGREES. AND IT’S GOING TO BE GORGEOUS IN THE FOOTHILLS. THEY DON’T HAVE TO WORRY TOO MUCH FOR FOG. TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOL THOUGH. THEY’LL BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S. BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR THE END OF DECEMBER? SAME IN THE SIERRA. IT WILL BE CHILLY WITH TEMPERATURES RIGHT AROUND 37 IN TRUCKEE AND SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, A LITTLE BIT WARMER FURTHER SOUTH IN ARNOLD AND YOSEMITE, RIGHT AROUND 50 DEGREES. HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVERHEAD, AND WHILE WE DO GET A LITTLE MORE OF THAT MORNING FOG, TEMPERATURES DO WARM JUST A LITTLE BIT. IT WILL BE PRETTY QUIET PRETTY MUCH FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, EXCEPT THIS FORECAST MODEL INDICATES THAT RIGHT AROUND NEW YEAR’S EVE AND WE’RE TALKING WEDNESDAY, GOING INTO THURSDAY, WE’RE GOING TO GET SOME SHOWERS BACK IN THE REGION. BUT THAT’S ONLY ACCORDING TO ONE FORECAST MODEL THAT SAYS 2026 IS GOING TO START OFF WET. ANOTHER FORECAST MODEL SUGGESTS THAT WE’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL. SO MODELS CONTINUE TO DUAL. OF COURSE, THAT IS THE STORY ALL THIS YEAR, RIGHT? AS THEY SORT OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES, WE ARE GOING TO ENJOY A NICE QUIET STRETCH WHERE ALL WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS A LITTLE BIT OF MORNING FOG IN THE AFTERNOONS WE CAN ENJOY PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES, TEMPERATURES HOVERING IN THE MID 50S WE DO WARM UP TO AROUND 53 DEGREES NOW. WEDNESDAY WE’LL NOTICE THOSE CLOUDS ROLL BACK IN AND THERE IS A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING. AND AGAIN, IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHICH MODEL YOU’RE LOOKING AT. BUT BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE PLANS ON NEW YEAR’S EVE, I’M GOING TO PUT THAT ON THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST SO YOU CAN AT LEAST PREPARE FOR IT. AND IF IT HAPPENS TO BE DRY, THEN YAY! RIGHT. WE LOVE TO LISTEN. WE LOVE THE RAIN. WE NEED IT. BUT
Northern California forecast: Morning fog will be followed by some afternoon sunshine
A light northerly wind should be strong enough to scrub out morning fog, making way for brighter skies during the second half of the day.This should allow Valley highs to climb to around 50 degrees. Sunday will be cool but calm in the foothills, with temperatures peaking in the upper 40s. It will be chilly in the Sierra, with highs in the 30s.As high pressure moves overhead, morning fog may become more pronounced and temperatures will hover in the low 50s, but weather will otherwise remain quiet through New Year’s Eve.New Year’s Eve is when weather models diverge in the forecast data, with disagreement centered on the timing and track of our next weather system. Some suggest an earlier, more northward push of moisture, which would result in a wet New Year’s Eve, while other models suggest the system could arrive later and that New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day will be dry.
A light northerly wind should be strong enough to scrub out morning fog, making way for brighter skies during the second half of the day.
This should allow Valley highs to climb to around 50 degrees. Sunday will be cool but calm in the foothills, with temperatures peaking in the upper 40s. It will be chilly in the Sierra, with highs in the 30s.
As high pressure moves overhead, morning fog may become more pronounced and temperatures will hover in the low 50s, but weather will otherwise remain quiet through New Year’s Eve.
New Year’s Eve is when weather models diverge in the forecast data, with disagreement centered on the timing and track of our next weather system. Some suggest an earlier, more northward push of moisture, which would result in a wet New Year’s Eve, while other models suggest the system could arrive later and that New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day will be dry.
THE TWO SUSPECTS ARE STILL ON THE RUN. IF YOUR KIDS LOVE THOSE SQUISHY FIDGET TOYS LIKE THIS ONE, THE ONES THEY CAN KIND OF SQUEEZE FOR STRESS RELIEF OR TO HELP THEM FOCUS. YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK BECAUSE THE NEW CONSUMER REPORTS INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT SOME OF THESE TOYS CAN ACTUALLY BREAK OPEN WHEN THEY’RE SQUEEZED. KCRA 3’S LEE ANNE DENYER SHOWS US HOW THE MATERIAL INSIDE COULD IRRITATE THE SKIN OR EVEN CAUSE CHEMICAL BURNS. LOVED BY KIDS, THESE BRIGHT, COLORFUL, SQUISHY BALLS ARE OFTEN MARKETED AS CALMING SENSORY TOOLS, BUT MANY PARENTS ARE SEEING A TREND. HUNDREDS OF ONE STAR REVIEWS ON AMAZON REPORTING THE TOYS POPPED WITHIN AN HOUR OR BROKE WITHIN TWO HOURS OF PLAYING WITH IT. PARENTS HAVE REPORTED THE STICKY GEL FROM SOME TOYS HAS LEFT KIDS WITH RED, IRRITATED OR EVEN PEELING SKIN. REPORTS FILED WITH THE FEDERAL SAFER PRODUCTS. GOV SITE CLAIM THAT CHILDREN SUFFERED SEVERE SKIN IRRITATION AFTER THEIR SQUISHY TOYS BURST OPEN. BREAKAGE ALONE IS A CONCERN. BUT WHEN WE SAW REPORTS OF KIDS WITH RED OR PEELING SKIN AND EVEN CHEMICAL BURN LIKE INJURIES, THAT REALLY RAISED SERIOUS QUESTIONS, AND IT MADE US WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT’S INSIDE OF THESE COMPANIES. DON’T HAVE TO LIST THE INGREDIENTS OF WHAT’S INSIDE THESE SQUISHY TOYS. SOME DO AND SOME DON’T. THAT’S WHY KR SCIENTISTS DECIDED TO TEST SOME OF THESE POPULAR SQUISHY TOYS. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT’S INSIDE. SCIENTISTS BOUGHT EIGHT SQUISHY GEL TOYS, BROKE THEM OPEN, AND TESTED THE PH OF THE GEL INSIDE. SEVEN HAD A NEUTRAL PH. ONE OF THEM, THE NEATO GROOVY GLOB, HAD A PH LEVEL OF TWO, WHICH IS AS ACIDIC AS LEMON JUICE OR VINEGAR. SEE, OUR SAFETY EXPERTS SAY THAT THE LEVEL OF ACIDITY COULD POSE A RISK OF CHEMICAL BURNS, ESPECIALLY ON CHILDREN’S DELICATE SKIN. THE MAKER OF NIDO CHALLENGED CONSUMER REPORTS PH TEST RESULTS AND SAYS THAT THE INNER GEL IS MADE OF POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, WHICH IS SAFER FOR SKIN CONTACT. THE COMPANY ADDED THAT THEY’VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE CPSC AND THAT AFTER THE SALE OF 100 MILLION NIDO TOYS, THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN FOUR REPORTS OF INCIDENTS TO THE CPSC. TIKTOK TRENDS HAVE ALSO BEEN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO MICROWAVE SQUISHY TOYS TO MAKE THEM SOFTER. NO ONE SHOULD EVER DO THIS. CONSUMER REPORTS FOUND SOME TOYS EXPLODED AFTER JUST 15 SECONDS, REACHING TEMPERATURES ABOVE 200 DEGREES AT THAT TEMPERATURE, EXPERTS WARN. INSTANT BURNS ARE LIKELY. THESE GEL TOYS CAN BE A LOT OF FUN, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT FOR KIDS TO USE THEM SAFELY. NEVER MICROWAVE OR FREEZE THEM. DON’T LEAVE THEM IN THE CAR. DON’T GIVE GEL FILLED TOYS TO BABIES OR TODDLERS. AND IF ONE DOES BREAK ON YOUR CHILD’S SKIN, WASH IT OFF RIGHT AWAY AND THROW OUT THE TOY. LEE ANNE DENYER KCRA THREE NEWS. I HAVE TO SAY, AFTER BORROWING THIS FROM OUR PRODUCER, SARAH, IT IS QUITE LOVELY. CAN I TRY? YEAH. OK
Warnings about squishy gel fidget toys | Consumer Reports
If your kids love those soft, squishy fidget toys, the ones you squeeze for stress relief, you might want to take a closer look. A new Consumer Reports investigation found that some of these toys can break open and what’s inside may irritate kids’ skin, or even cause chemical burns.Loved by kids, the bright, colorful squishy balls are often marketed as calming sensory tools. But many parents are seeing a trend: hundreds of one-star reviews on Amazon reporting the toys “popped within an hour,” or “broke within two hours of playing with it.”Parents have reported that the sticky gel from some toys has left kids with red, irritated, or even peeling skin.Reports filed with the federal SaferProducts.gov site claim that children suffered severe skin irritation after their squishy toys burst open.Breakage alone is a concern, but when you saw reports of kids with red, or peeling, or even chemical-burn-like injuries, that really raised serious questions, and it made us want to take a look at what’s inside these.Companies don’t have to list the ingredients of what’s inside these squishy toys. Some do, and some don’t. That’s why CR scientists decided to test some of these popular squishy toys to learn more about what’s inside.Scientists bought eight squishy toys, broke them open and tested the pH of the gel inside. Seven had a neutral pH. One of them, the Nee-Doh “Groovy Glob,” had a pH level of 2, as acidic as lemon juice or vinegar.CR safety experts say that level of acidity could pose a risk of chemical burns, especially on children’s delicate skin.Schylling, the maker of Nee-Doh, challenged Consumer Reports’ pH test results and says that the inner gel is made of polyvinyl alcohol, which is safe for skin contact. The company added that they’ve been in contact with the CPSC and that after the sale of 100 million Nee-Doh toys, there have only been four reports of incidents to the CPSC.TikTok trends have also been encouraging people to microwave squishy toys to make them softer. No one should ever do this. Consumer Reports found that some toys exploded after just 15 seconds, reaching temperatures above 200 degrees. At that temperature, experts warn, instant burns are likely.The gel toys can be a lot of fun, but it’s important for kids to use them safely. Never microwave or freeze. Don’t leave them in the car. Don’t give gel-filled toys to babies or toddlers.And if one does break on your child’s skin, wash it off right away and throw out the toy.You can read Consumer Reports’ full investigation, including safety tips and responses from regulators at CR.org.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
If your kids love those soft, squishy fidget toys, the ones you squeeze for stress relief, you might want to take a closer look. A new Consumer Reports investigation found that some of these toys can break open and what’s inside may irritate kids’ skin, or even cause chemical burns.
Loved by kids, the bright, colorful squishy balls are often marketed as calming sensory tools. But many parents are seeing a trend: hundreds of one-star reviews on Amazon reporting the toys “popped within an hour,” or “broke within two hours of playing with it.”
Parents have reported that the sticky gel from some toys has left kids with red, irritated, or even peeling skin.
Reports filed with the federal SaferProducts.gov site claim that children suffered severe skin irritation after their squishy toys burst open.
Breakage alone is a concern, but when you saw reports of kids with red, or peeling, or even chemical-burn-like injuries, that really raised serious questions, and it made us want to take a look at what’s inside these.
Companies don’t have to list the ingredients of what’s inside these squishy toys. Some do, and some don’t. That’s why CR scientists decided to test some of these popular squishy toys to learn more about what’s inside.
Scientists bought eight squishy toys, broke them open and tested the pH of the gel inside. Seven had a neutral pH. One of them, the Nee-Doh “Groovy Glob,” had a pH level of 2, as acidic as lemon juice or vinegar.
CR safety experts say that level of acidity could pose a risk of chemical burns, especially on children’s delicate skin.
Schylling, the maker of Nee-Doh, challenged Consumer Reports’ pH test results and says that the inner gel is made of polyvinyl alcohol, which is safe for skin contact. The company added that they’ve been in contact with the CPSC and that after the sale of 100 million Nee-Doh toys, there have only been four reports of incidents to the CPSC.
TikTok trends have also been encouraging people to microwave squishy toys to make them softer. No one should ever do this. Consumer Reports found that some toys exploded after just 15 seconds, reaching temperatures above 200 degrees. At that temperature, experts warn, instant burns are likely.
The gel toys can be a lot of fun, but it’s important for kids to use them safely. Never microwave or freeze. Don’t leave them in the car. Don’t give gel-filled toys to babies or toddlers.
And if one does break on your child’s skin, wash it off right away and throw out the toy.
You can read Consumer Reports’ full investigation, including safety tips and responses from regulators at CR.org.
Two Denver health inspectors approached a table operated by Tacos Tacolorado near the intersection of Evans Avenue and Colorado Boulevard on Saturday evening. Health officials had previously cited the vendor and thrown out its food for failing to follow various food safety rules, according to inspection reports reviewed by The Denver Post. When inspectors approached Saturday, the vendor placed some food into the back of a truck so it couldn’t be disposed of, prompting one health inspector to pour bleach into the remaining food, according to Emily Williams, spokeswoman for the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.
The incident was caught on video, showing the inspector dumping the chemical into plastic containers of food on a tablecloth-covered table.
Though uncommon, using bleach to intentionally contaminate food is a tool inspectors use to ensure food can’t be served, said Danica Lee, Denver’s director of public health investigations.
“It is a tool that we use not really often, because we prefer to use different methods, but from time to time, it is necessary,” she said.
She said inspectors had previously approached Tacolorado’s staff twice, both in late October. The vendor was given two cease-and-desist letters, and inspection reports show it was dinged for failing to have handwashing stations, for improper sanitation and for temperature concerns, among other alleged issues. The food was also being prepared in a residential, rather than commercial, kitchen, which carries further risk, Lee said.
More than 145 pounds of meat and food were disposed over during those two interactions, the agency said, and the vendor’s staff cooperated with inspectors. Tacolorado has also received multiple cease-and-desist letters and administrative citations.
But when inspectors arrived Saturday night, staff began moving food into a locked truck, which prompted the inspectors to use bleach to contaminate the remaining food.
A message sent to Tacolorado through its social media page was not immediately returned. A California taco vendor listed in the company’s business filings also did not immediately return a social media message seeking comment.
Frosty start this morning, temps warming up this afternoon
AFTER TWO SATURDAY MORNING. ALL RIGHT. LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FORECAST TODAY, BECAUSE THIS MORNING WE’VE GOT IMPACT WEATHER ANOTHER COLD ONE OUT THERE REALLY A ROLLER COASTER OF A WEATHER FORECAST. IT’S IT’S WILD. WE’RE WAKING UP TO THE 20S THIS MORNING. WHAT? I KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING. THIS IS CENTRAL FLORIDA RIGHT. WE’VE GOT THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AND TEMPERATURES IN THE 20S. YEAH. WHAT’S HAPPENING? ERIC. YEAH, I KNOW CATS AND DOGS LIVING TOGETHER. MASS HYSTERIA. ALL RIGHT, SO WE’VE GOT FREEZE WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR MARION COUNTY. BUT KNOW THIS. WE WILL BRING THOSE TEMPERATURES UP FROM YESTERDAY’S 36 IN ORLANDO TO SUNDAY’S HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 80 DEGREES FLORIDA WILL FLORIDA. SO WE’VE GOT THE CHANGE IN STORE FOR THIS MORNING. IT’S A COLD START, A FROSTY START. BUT THIS AFTERNOON, NOT AS COLD. AND THEN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WE START TRENDING BETTER AND BETTER. BUT FOR NOW LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS. 28 DEGREES IN OCALA, 37. IN DELAND IT’S 42 DEGREES IN ORLANDO. LET’S TAKE YOU IN KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD, 32 IN LADY LAKE. IT’S 41 DEGREES IN LEESBURG, 33 ASTATULA 40 IN CLERMONT, IT’S 42 AT THE AIRPORT, WHICH IS OUR OFFICIAL STATION, BUT IT’S 46 IN DOWNTOWN. THE BUILDINGS KIND OF RADIATING OUT SOME HEAT ENERGY. 38 FOR US IN WINDERMERE, 42 LAKE BUTLER, 44 DEGREES OVER AT DURBAN PARK, 44 DEGREES LAKE TAHOE AND INTO BREVARD COUNTY. LOWER 50S OUT ON THE BARRIER ISLAND. WE’RE IN THE UPPER 40S, THOUGH. EXCUSE ME. INLAND JUST A LITTLE BIT. AND MONITORING THE TEMPERATURES IN THE RECORDS. ORLANDO IS NOT IN RECORD TERRITORY, BUT SANFORD LEESBURG DAYTONA BEACH ALL HAVE EITHER TIED OR SET NEW RECORDS. AND MELBOURNE, YOU’RE AWFUL CLOSE. YOU’RE ONE DEGREE SHY, SO WE’RE DEFINITELY WATCHING IT. SO IT’S IMPACT WEATHER THIS MORNING. BUT THROUGH THE DAY TODAY THOSE TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO CLIMB MID 60S, 1:00 UPPER 60S. BY 3 P.M. IT’S GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL. AND THEN FOR TONIGHT NOT QUITE AS CHILLY WHICH IS DEFINITELY THE DIRECTION FLORIDIANS PROBABLY WANT TO GO. UPPER 60S FROM DEBARY BACK OVER TO ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, 69 DEGREES IN ORLANDO AND LOOKING AROUND THE REST OF TOWN, IT’S THE UPPER 60S TO THE LOWER 70S FOR TOMORROW MORNING, LOWER 40S, MID UPPER 40S. IT’S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL START TO THE DAY, BUT WE’RE TRENDING WARMER AND WARMER THIS MORNING. WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A LIVE TOWER CAM SHOT OF THE SUNRISE AS IT COMES, AND WHEN IT DOES, IT IS GOING TO BE SPECTACULAR. 69 DEGREES OUR HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR TODAY. FOR TOMORROW. IT’S A COOL START, BUT NOT AS COLD. WE’LL CLIMB TO ABOUT 74 DEGREES 77 FOR OUR FRIDAY TEMPERATURE AND THEN NOTICE INTO THE WEEKEND, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ARE GETTING BACK TO NEARLY 80 DEGREES. COASTLINE. BASICALLY THE SAME IDEA WE’RE ADDING IN SOME CLOUDS. SURE, WE’RE ADDING IN SOME HUMIDITY, BUT THIS IS THE WAY FALL SHOULD BE. IT IS GORGEOUS. WE’RE RIGHT ABOUT WHERE WE SHOULD BE, WHICH MEANS ANY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES YOU’VE
Frosty start this morning, temps warming up this afternoon
Temperatures dropped into the 30s and 40s this morning, raising concerns about frost. Once the sun rises, temperatures are expected to rebound to the upper 60s, which, while not average, will not feel like a typical January day. Later this week, temperatures will start climbing back to highs in the upper 70s, returning to average levels.First Warning Weather Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.What is Impact Weather?Impact Weather suggests weather conditions could be disruptive or a nuisance for travel and day-to-day activities.What is a Severe Weather Warning Day?A Severe Weather Warning Day suggests weather conditions that could potentially harm life or property.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Temperatures dropped into the 30s and 40s this morning, raising concerns about frost.
Once the sun rises, temperatures are expected to rebound to the upper 60s, which, while not average, will not feel like a typical January day.
Later this week, temperatures will start climbing back to highs in the upper 70s, returning to average levels.
First Warning Weather
Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.
Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.
Warming Weekend Trend Continues Ahead of Soggy Workweek Start in Central FloridaDefinitely warmer outdoors compared to the highs we saw yesterday. But the kicker is, we were just as sunny. That sunshine brought temps back into the low and mid-seventies today, and we’ll carry this small warming trend into the low eighties by tomorrow. A weak cold front will move through Sunday night into Monday, bringing a 20–30% chance of showers. Behind it, north to northeast winds will strengthen early next week, leading to poor beach and boating conditions. Temperatures will also dip slightly Monday and Tuesday, with highs in the low to mid-70s north, before a warming trend returns mid- to late week, pushing highs back into the 80s. Conditions will stay mainly dry after Monday, with breezy onshore winds easing by midweek.
Warming Weekend Trend Continues Ahead of Soggy Workweek Start in Central Florida
Definitely warmer outdoors compared to the highs we saw yesterday. But the kicker is, we were just as sunny. That sunshine brought temps back into the low and mid-seventies today, and we’ll carry this small warming trend into the low eighties by tomorrow. A weak cold front will move through Sunday night into Monday, bringing a 20–30% chance of showers. Behind it, north to northeast winds will strengthen early next week, leading to poor beach and boating conditions. Temperatures will also dip slightly Monday and Tuesday, with highs in the low to mid-70s north, before a warming trend returns mid- to late week, pushing highs back into the 80s. Conditions will stay mainly dry after Monday, with breezy onshore winds easing by midweek.
Temperatures dropped to roughly 22 degrees in Denver early Wednesday, the coldest morning recorded in the city so far this season, according to the National Weather Service.
Weather stations at the Denver International Airport registered morning temperatures of 21.9 degrees just before 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to weather service records.
That’s the coldest Denver morning since April 19, when the daily temperature low was also 22 degrees, according to the weather service.
Denver’s Wednesday morning temperatures dropped about 10 degrees below average, but didn’t come close to the record low of -2 degrees set in 1917, weather service data shows.
According to weather stations around Colorado, other early Wednesday morning temperature lows that dropped below freezing included:
Most of the Front Range remains under a freeze warning Wednesday morning, which is set to expire at 10 a.m., according to weather service forecasters.
Bundle up, Colorado! The first freeze of the season hit parts of the state, including Denver, overnight Saturday into Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
Denver temperatures hit freezing just before 11 p.m. Saturday, according to hourly temperature logs from the weather service. By midnight, temperatures had dropped to 30.9 degrees, where they stayed until about 3 a.m., the logs show.
This year’s first freeze arrived nearly two weeks later than the average of Oct. 7, according to weather service records.
Eight of Denver’s first freezes in the last 10 years happened after Oct. 7, the records show. In 2020, Denver saw its first freeze on Sept. 8 — the earliest it’s been documented in the city.
Temperatures on the Eastern Plains dropped far below freezing overnight Saturday. Weather stations at Limon Municipal Airport recorded overnight temperatures as low as 19 degrees. According to the weather service, other overnight lows include:
Nope! It may seem counterintuitive, but large heaters don’t necessarily heat any better than small ones.
Whatever their physical size, most space heaters in the US and Canada deliver about the same amount of heat. Space heaters top out at 1,500 watts, which is the highest safe operating load for a 15-amp household circuit. And aside from some low-power personal heaters here and there, most space heaters you’ll find on the market are 1,500-watt heaters.
So if space heaters are the same power and the same efficiency, why are some 1,500-watt heaters advertised for small rooms and some for large rooms? This likely has as much to do with marketing as science. Pretty much every ceramic, electric-coil, or PTC heater has about the same amount of juice and thus the same ability to heat a room … at least eventually.
What differs among heaters is how and where the heat gets distributed and how fast. All other things being equal, the efficacy of a heater is mostly about whether it puts the heat where you want it to go.
What Are the Different Types of Space Heaters?
Basically all electric space heaters do the same thing: They take electricity off the grid, usually 1,500 watts of it if you’re in the United States, and turn that power into heat.
The vast majority of space heaters, including ceramic heaters and PTC heaters, are electric resistance heaters. This means they run an electrical current through something that creates resistance: maybe an electric coil or maybe a specially designed ceramic. This quickly turns electricity into heat.
Most space heaters use a fan to disperse this heat out into the world, where we all live. These forced-air convection heaters tend to be the fastest at quickly raising the temperature of the surrounding air. The air then heats you. And so while this variety heats quickly, it can take quite a bit of electricity to heat up a whole room.
Oil-filled radiators, in contrast, heat up oil that circulates inside the device, which then emits heat to the surrounding room. These tend to heat up slower but offer even and lasting heat and are very quiet. These radiators operate on the same principle as steam radiators in buildings with a boiler room. And just like steam radiators, they can get really, really hot to the touch.
Radiant heaters, such as infrared heaters, operate much like the sun or a campfire: Rather than heat the air, they heat objects or people directly by radiating energy toward them. Infrared devices heat the air only indirectly, via the objects it heats— much the same way the sun’s heat radiates off baking city streets. The glow is immediately palpable as warmth, but you’ll need to be in the path of the radiation to feel it, and the thermometer might not immediately register the warmth you perceive. Infrared heaters tend to be best at making an individual in front of the heater feel a little warmer without using a lot of energy, making them a more common decision in large and lofty spaces or outside on a patio.
Though they deliver heat differently, both infrared and oil-filled heaters are subject to the same wattage limitations, and have about the same efficiency, as electrical resistance heaters.
The same cannot be said for heat pumps, a newer technology that’s expected to provide the next generation of household heat. Heat pumps don’t use energy to create heat. Instead, they move heat energy from one place to another. Accordingly, they require far less energy than other forms of heater. But household systems cost thousands to install. And while more affordable window and portable heat pumps are ramping up, they’re not yet broadly available.
Yes, but also definitely no.
Space heaters are much safer than they used to be. Modern space heaters are heavily regulated, especially regarding exposed heating elements and automatic shut-off switches to prevent overheating. But all heating devices require caution, and so do all devices that pull a lot of energy over long periods.
The vast majority of residential heating fires start with actual fire—specifically in fireplaces and fuel burners. But space heaters accounted for more than a thousand fires in the US each year from 2017 to 2019, according to the US Fire Administration. Though this accounted for just 3 percent of heating fires overall, these led to more than 40 percent of fatalities, in part because portable heaters tend to be placed precisely where people are and because the resulting fires are far more likely to be unconfined.
Don’t leave a space heater unattended. “Unattended” includes sleeping, y’all! Might we suggest a wonderful down comforter instead? When possible, safety experts also recommend you don’t leave a portable heater running unattended in a room with a baby, nor a person with mobility issues. The risk isn’t just fire but hyperthermia.
Plug your heater directly into the outlet. Don’t use extension cords or power strips with space heaters, lest you build up too much electrical load and risk a fire.
Don’t plug another appliance into the same outlet or circuit as the space heater.
Place a space heater only on the floor, on a level surface. Heat rises. You don’t need to prop up a heater on an unstable chair or table.
Keep your heater at least 3 feet from flammable objects. This includes bedding, drapes, furniture, clothes, papers, books. All of that.
Keep space heaters away from water and dampness, whether in bathrooms or in moist basements prone to dripping or flooding.
Read the manual. Manufacturers have good advice.
How We Tested and What We Tested
When it comes to testing space heaters, there are a few main questions: How safe is it? How loud is it? How quickly and evenly can it heat a room?
During intensive testing of dozens of space heaters, I lived for weeks in a home with the thermostat set to a chilly 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
I tested how well and quickly each device heated a medium-size room (14 by 14 feet), and also how well it heated a small seating area in a larger, open-format space. To test each heater’s thermostat and also measure the evenness of heating, I placed thermometers at three or more locations in each room, including behind the heater.
I tested the loudness of each device with a decibel meter at 3 feet away and verified power usage with a wattmeter. To see whether the heater’s exhaust put out painful levels of heat, I used an infrared thermometer to gauge precise surface temperatures. When in doubt, I put my own fingers on the line.
Finally, I tested safety features and basic durability. I looked at independent safety certifications, of course. But I also rudely knocked over each device to verify how the device’s tip-over protections functioned, if at all, and verified that the device started working again when set back on its feet.
To test overheat protection, I smothered each device with an old sheet to see whether the device shut itself off or whether it adjusted its power output to keep internal temperature low. After the device shut itseld off, I then checked how soon it could turn back on, if it ever did. (Some heaters gave up, in permanent complaint!)
If any device fails the tip-over or overheat tests, we don’t recommend it. If it’s significantly louder than 50 decibels at 3 feet, we don’t recommend it. If the heater breaks during routine operation, we don’t recommend it. Maddening rattles and squeaks are also disqualifying.
We keep on testing our favorites through the cold season and beyond, to see how they hold up over time. And, of course, we continually subject more heaters to our testing regimen to see if other devices can oust our current faves.
More Space Heaters I Recommend
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Vornado Sensa Cribside Heater for $150: I loved the idea behind this Vornado Sensa Cribside Heater when I tested it: A space heater with an external temperature sensor, with therefore accurate temperature management (hard to find among space heaters!) But it’s disappeared from Vornado’s website, and has begun to dwindle on retail sites. It’s still available on Amazon, and I still recommend it while it exists.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Vornado AVH10 for $100 and Vornado TAVH10 for $150: Vornado has an unholy variety of models that look quite similar but have different levels of loudness and different feature sets. Some are built in America, some in China. In general, the models I’ve liked best are the ones that advertise “vortex action,” a fancy name for spinning a fan into a spiral grate oriented opposite to the action of the fan. This leads to a mostly quiet and nigh-undetectable column of warm air, directed out to the back of the room, where it scatters. The non-digital MVH is my favorite: the most silent, the most reasonably priced. Because it’s analog, the MVH can also be regulated by a temperature-controlled power outlet in order to get the most accurate version of a thermostat. But the MVH is not exactly a feature-rich device. The digital AVH10 and TAVH10 are also quiet, though not quite as quiet as the MVH. They also cost more. But the AVH10 adds a fan and a digital temperature readout. The TAV10 adds to these a timer and a remote.
De’Longhi Slim-Style Portable Panel Heater for $210: This electric panel heater is an interesting hybrid, with dual heat exhausts on each side but also a broad radiant heat panel. This makes for a middle ground between radiators and resistive fan heaters—heating a room much faster than a classic radiator would but still maintaining warm radiant heat over time. This said, it shares a radiator’s main fault, which is that it’s painfully hot to the touch across a large surface—but still issues the same amount of fan noise as a fan heater. Still: It may be your choice if you need to heat up a space quickly and evenly and maintain that heat over time.
Dreo MC706 for $170: New this year, Dreo’s innovative 2-in-1 fan/heater won top marks in our fan guide for its auto-shift positive temperature coefficient (PTC) technology, which moves the heater’s ceramic element aside to allow full fan airflow. Its 1,700 ft/m wind speed is a rarity among tower fans, let alone tower fan/heater combos. It’s not the strongest space heater, but it is sufficient, with five settings, 120-degree oscillation, and tip-over protection. Note that though there is a remote, there are no smart features, and it does not work with Dreo’s app.
Dreo Bathroom Heater for $60: Like Dreo’s smart wall-mounted model I far prefer, this ceramic heater comes with an ALCI plug for safe use near water. I prefer to keep bathroom heaters away from the floor, but not all bathrooms have mountable wall space. This remains a possible, though not ideal alternative, with a somewhat janky thermostat.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Not Recommended
Pelonis 16-Inch Space Heater for $65 and Pelonis 23-Inch Space Heater for $70: Both of these towers heated up quite quickly. Both were also enormously hot at the surface of their vents, with relatively little shielding from the visible heating elements. The 23-inch was significantly quieter than the 16-inch, however.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Morento 26-cm Heater for $45 and Morento 40-cm Heater for $67: Both of these Morento heaters were pretty quiet. But they also had the highest surface temperatures across their front vent of any space heaters I tested: The smaller, 26-centimeter tower measured 207 degrees Fahrenheit on its face, nearly hot enough to boil water.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Vornado VMHi600 for $200: This large cube was about as quiet as the AVH10, staying below 60 decibels, but its vent got quite hot—about 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Other Vornado models perform far better at a far lower price.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Vornado Velocity Cube 5S for $100: This cube’s outer housing stayed quite cool, and the fan functionality is welcome. But its surface vent got a little hot, and the fan was a bit on the noisy side compared to other Vornados.
Vornado Velocity 5R Whole Room Heater for $125 and Vornado VHEAT for $160: Our top pick MVH from Vornado is one of the quietest space heaters I’ve tested. These were two of the loudest. The 5R topped 70 decibels. The vintage-looking VHEAT is quite lovely, but it’s also a bit of a noisemaker.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Lasko MyHeat Mini for $40: This little thing looked cute, and I thought it would be a nice desktop or under-table personal heater. But even with its low output at 400 watts, the vent got way too hot to want it anywhere near your laptop or papers.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Lasko 22-inch Oscillating Tower With Remote for $80: This one failed our tip-over test when we knocked it over, blasting heat endlessly into the rug until it overheated and sent a burnt-plastic smell into the air. It did restart hours later, meaning this shutoff was a safety feature. But this tower’s a bit too tall and tippable to risk repeating these events often.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Honeywell 2-Position Heater for $45: This compact, simple, analog heater was a nice enough idea, able to rest vertically or on its side. Lord, it’s loud when its fan is in operation, though.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Honeywell Compact Ceramic Tower for $47: This Honeywell performed well in terms of fast heat and safe surface temperature. Its fan wasn’t too loud either. But the one we received had a maddening squeak each time the tower oscillated fully counterclockwise.
Northern California forecast: Sunny in Valley and Foothills, possible showers in Sierra
NONPUBLIC HOSPITAL AREAS. TURNING TO KCRA 3 WEATHER, NOW WITH A LIVE LOOK AT YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK FROM EL CAPITAN WEBCAM. IT’S LOOKING QUITE BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, AND LET’S SEND IT OVER NOW TO L.A. TRACKING OUR FORECAST FOR THIS LAST DAY OF SUMMER. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE THERE FROM YOSEMITE. IT’S PRETTY HERE, TOO, IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO. NOT A CLOUD IN THE SKY AS THE SUN IS NOW UP AND SHINING. TEMPERATURES 62 DEGREES RIGHT NOW IN SACRAMENTO. THE WINDS ARE CALM, SO IT’S A GREAT MORNING TO GET OUTSIDE FOR A LITTLE BIT. TAKING A LOOK AT THE SATELLITE RADAR IMAGERY HERE LOCALLY. NOT MUCH TO TALK ABOUT. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE MARINE LAYER ALONG THE COAST. AND THAT’S IT. NOW WE ZOOM OUT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NATIONAL PICTURE. AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVE WEATHER. IN FACT, THUNDERSTORMS IN PARTS OF MICHIGAN STRETCHING DOWN INTO KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. WE HAVE ACTIVE WEATHER IN KANSAS, OKLAHOMA, AND EVEN THERE RIGHT ON THE BORDERLINE WITH TEXAS. THOSE SHOWERS STORMS MOVING THEIR WAY FURTHER TO THE EAST. AND THEN AS WE HEAD OVER TOWARD THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, YOU SEE THIS LINE OF SHOWERS THAT’S MADE ITS WAY THROUGH SEATTLE. IT’S CONTINUING TO PUSH ITS WAY INTO EASTERN WASHINGTON. NOW, PORTLAND STILL SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF SHOWER ACTIVITY. WE’VE EVEN SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHTNING RIGHT THERE ON THE IDAHO NEVADA BORDER. NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. SO THIS IS THE CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK PUT OUT BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. AND YOU SEE THE AREA IN YELLOW HERE DOWN TO NORTHERN TEXAS SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA. THAT’S A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER. THE AREA SHADED IN GREEN. THAT’S WHERE WE’RE MOST LIKELY TO SEE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. AND THAT DOES INCLUDE PARTS OF OUR AREA. BUT SPECIFICALLY MONO COUNTY. THAT’S WHERE WE HAVE THE BEST CHANCE TO SEE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. BUT WE CAN’T RULE THEM OUT IN PARTS OF ALPINE COUNTY AND AROUND LAKE TAHOE, ESPECIALLY ON THE EASTERN SIDE. BUT IT’S UNLIKELY. SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE BOATING TODAY, JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF RADIO WITH YOU. KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY. IF YOU SEE THOSE DARK CLOUDS GET TO SHORE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT FUTURECAST AND HOW WE EXPECT THINGS TO PLAY OUT. SO WE ARE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF SUNSHINE ACROSS THE VALLEY AND THE FOOTHILLS. TODAY. WE’LL SEE SOME CLOUDS STARTING TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. AND THEN THOSE POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS, MAYBE EVEN A FEW THUNDERSTORMS AROUND 3:00, 330. NOTICE THEY’RE POPPING UP AROUND MAMMOTH LAKES AND THEN AREAS FURTHER TO THE SOUTH. SAME THING. BISHOP COULD SEE A LITTLE BIT OF ACTIVE WEATHER OVER INTO INYO COUNTY AS WE GET INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, BUT NOTICE HOW EVERYTHING IS GENERALLY STAYING SOUTH OF LAKE TAHOE. DOESN’T MEAN WE CAN’T SEE A STORM OR TWO IN LAKE TAHOE. IT’S JUST THE BULK OF IT IS GOING TO STAY FURTHER TO THE SOUTH. NOW THAT WINDS DOWN AND GET INTO THE OVERNIGHT TOMORROW, THE FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN, THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX TAKES PLACE AT AROUND 11:00 MONDAY MORNING WE’RE GOING TO SEE SUNSHINE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE SIERRA SEVEN DAY FORECAST. TODAY’S HIGH 72 DEGREES AGAIN. CHANCE FOR SHOWERS, BUT MAINLY SOUTH OF LAKE TAHOE. MONDAY AND TUESDAY. DRY AND THEN CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SACRAMENTO SEVEN DAY FORECAST. TODAY’S HIGH 92. THAT’S FOUR DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE FIRST DAY OF FALL 9798 DEGREES ON TUESDAY. AND THEN THOSE TEMPERATURES RETURN TO NORMAL, SEEING HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S WEDNESDAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND. WE WILL SEE A FEW EXTRA CLOUDS WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE CHANCES FOR RAIN IN THE SIERRA, IT LOOKS LIKE THE VALLEY AND THE FOOTHILLS WILL LIKELY STAY DRY. BUT THAT’S SOMETHING WE’RE GOING TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON AND WE’LL HAVE MORE UPDATES AS IT GETS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER. JUST GRATEFUL FOR TRIPLE DIGITS. I KNOW 77 IS HOT BUT COULD BE HOTTER. EXACTLY. WE HAVE SEEN TRIPLE DIGITS WELL INTO OCTOBER
Northern California forecast: Sunny in Valley and Foothills, possible showers in Sierra
Sunday brings sunny and warm weather to the Valley and Foothills, but any boaters and hikers in the Sierra should be prepared for possible showers.Sacramento is hanging onto the sunshine on the last day of summer, with a forecasted high of 92 degrees. The average high temperature for Sept. 21 is 88 degrees.Temperatures will climb into the upper 90s on Monday, the first day of fall. Temperatures are expected to remain around there Tuesday, before more clouds and cooler temperatures move in Wednesday. In the Sierra, there is a chance for showers and thunderstorms Sunday, but the best chances will be south of Tahoe, around Mono County. But boaters should have a NOAA weather radio handy or keep an eye on the sky just in case.Chances for thundershowers are also expected in the Sierra Wednesday through Thursday, and some of the showers could move into the Foothills. REAL-TIME TRAFFIC MAPClick here to see our interactive traffic map.TRACK INTERACTIVE, DOPPLER RADARClick here to see our interactive radar.DOWNLOAD OUR APP FOR THE LATESTHere is where you can download our app.Follow our KCRA weather team on social mediaMeteorologist Tamara Berg on Facebook and X.Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn on FacebookMeteorologist/Climate Reporter Heather Waldman on Facebook and X.Meteorologist Kelly Curran on X.Meteorologist Ophelia Young on Facebook and X.Watch our forecasts on TV or onlineHere’s where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we’re live.We’re also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.
Sunday brings sunny and warm weather to the Valley and Foothills, but any boaters and hikers in the Sierra should be prepared for possible showers.
Sacramento is hanging onto the sunshine on the last day of summer, with a forecasted high of 92 degrees. The average high temperature for Sept. 21 is 88 degrees.
Temperatures will climb into the upper 90s on Monday, the first day of fall. Temperatures are expected to remain around there Tuesday, before more clouds and cooler temperatures move in Wednesday.
In the Sierra, there is a chance for showers and thunderstorms Sunday, but the best chances will be south of Tahoe, around Mono County. But boaters should have a NOAA weather radio handy or keep an eye on the sky just in case.
Chances for thundershowers are also expected in the Sierra Wednesday through Thursday, and some of the showers could move into the Foothills.
A dust devil created a wild sight at the fairgrounds in Louisville, Kentucky.It could be spotted for miles, swirling around, hundreds of feet tall on Wednesday. Dave Tors was at UPS Worldport when he took a video of the large vortex (seen in above video).Other videos show it formed where construction is happening near the Kentucky Expo Center.Even though temperatures have been cooler than normal, the sunny skies, light breezes, and quickly warming temperatures made this possible.Dust devils can form when daytime sunshine heats the surface, causing rising air and low pressure to form at ground level. That low pressure continues to pull in more heated and swirling air until the circulation is self-sustaining. The same process that causes lifting of the warm air will eventually bring cooler air into the circulation, weakening the dust devil.While typically smaller and less intense than tornadoes, some dust devils can create wind speeds over 60 mph and cause damage.
A dust devil created a wild sight at the fairgrounds in Louisville, Kentucky.
It could be spotted for miles, swirling around, hundreds of feet tall on Wednesday.
Dave Tors was at UPS Worldport when he took a video of the large vortex (seen in above video).
Other videos show it formed where construction is happening near the Kentucky Expo Center.
Stephanie Biggers
View from downtown Louisville
Even though temperatures have been cooler than normal, the sunny skies, light breezes, and quickly warming temperatures made this possible.
Dust devils can form when daytime sunshine heats the surface, causing rising air and low pressure to form at ground level.
That low pressure continues to pull in more heated and swirling air until the circulation is self-sustaining.
The same process that causes lifting of the warm air will eventually bring cooler air into the circulation, weakening the dust devil.
While typically smaller and less intense than tornadoes, some dust devils can create wind speeds over 60 mph and cause damage.
But even as October kicks off, the cool weather reprieve is ending, and Southern California is going to see temperatures climb into the extreme range again, forecasters say.
“There is some potential for record-breaking heat,” said Todd Hall, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Highs in some areas could soar into the triple digits.
Temperatures this week in Southern California are expected to be about 10 degrees above normal, according to the weather service. Parts of Los Angeles County will begin to see high temperatures starting Tuesday, with Wednesday the hottest day of the week, Hall said.
Palmdale and Lancaster are among the areas that could see records fall.
Hall said L.A. County usually sees warm weather this time of year, but the Santa Ana winds have not yet arrived, and cloudy weather has kept the region cooler.
Last October, the state faced a heat wave that drove temperatures across Southern California 15 degrees above normal and brought record heat to Northern California.
Hall said that after the heat peaks on Wednesday, cooler temperatures should arrive later in the week.
Woodland Hills is expecting a high of 105 degrees on Wednesday, and Burbank could see 97, Hall said. The weather service issued an excessive heat advisory beginning Tuesday through Wednesday evening for the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, with temperatures reaching as high as 106.
Other parts of Southern California will also face triple-digit temperatures. Ojai is expected to hit 105 on Tuesday and Wednesday, while residents in Paso Robles could see temperatures reach 108. San Luis Obispo will see temperatures as high as 100 on those days as well.
Hall advised residents to be cognizant of the hot weather and avoid outdoor activity, or confine their activity to the early morning hours.
There is also an elevated fire risk with the rising temperatures, Hall said. But there are no high winds in the forecast that could drive the fire risk even higher.
Firefighters are still working on fully containing three Southern California wildfires. The Airport, Bridge and Line fires started near the beginning of September and have been burning for weeks.
The Airport fire in Orange and Riverside counties has burned 23,526 acres and is 95% contained. Authorities have made daily progress, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The Bridge fire in L.A. and San Bernardino counties has burned 54,878 acres and is 97% contained.
The most active fire remaining is the Line fire in San Bernardino County, which was 83% contained but had a significant flare-up on Sunday, as the Victorville Daily Press reported. The county Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation order Sunday afternoon for the community of Seven Oaks.
Cal Fire said the Line fire was still burning actively in Bear Creek on Sunday and producing a lot of smoky conditions because of dried-out fuels. Relative humidity in the fire area was expected to range as low as 12%, with winds gusting to about 15 mph. Cal Fire said it had strengthened the containment line on the ridge and had at least 10 helicopters working in the area.
Falling temperatures and rising humidity will give firefighters a brief window to gain more ground against three major Southern California wildfires, officials said Sunday.
“It’s helping out tremendously,” said Capt. Steve Concialdi, acting as public information officer on the Airport fire in Orange and Riverside counties, where overnight humidity levels topped 90% in some areas Saturday.
“It is helping us increase our containment lines and firefighters are able to work longer in these cooler temperatures,” Concialdi said. “We’re not getting heat-related illnesses.”
But there is a mixed blessing in the weather shift.
“We are expecting some fairly strong winds through [Monday] night and also at higher elevations, which could present some issues,” said Bryan Lewis, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Even as a moist blanket of air in the marine layer thickens, rising to 4,500 feet by Sunday, conditions above that remain parched. Upper peaks could see wind gusts of up to 45 mph, Lewis said, spelling fresher air for valley residents but posing a challenge to fire crews. Lewis said the marine layer, with its cool, moist air, could deepen to 6,000 feet by Monday.
In San Bernardino County, the Line fire moved at a crawl over the weekend, but the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said humidity and the chance of light rain late Sunday should give firefighters a chance to douse hot spots and solidify control lines that surround a third of the 36,000-acre fire. The fire was 36% contained as of Sunday afternoon.
Paul Faulstick, 67, walks among the ruins of his friend, David Mix’s, property that was destroyed in the Bridge fire along Bear Canyon Road in Mount Baldy on Thursday. “It was Armageddon-like,” said David Mix, 50, about the fire. “This place is like a relative. I had to know if she was gone,” Mix concluded.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
The nearby Bridge fire sprawling nearly 55,000 acres in the San Gabriel Mountains of San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties continued to press north and west, but the agency said firefighters are holding lines to the south and east, though the Mount Baldy area remains under evacuation orders. The fire is only 9% contained.
In the Santa Ana Mountains, the Airport fire made no new advances Saturday night, holding under 24,000 acres and giving ground crews a chance to reach hard-to-access areas around Trabuco Canyon and establish fire lines. To date, 115 residences and three businesses have been destroyed, with injuries reported to 12 firefighters and two civilians. The fire is 19% contained.
Fire plans called for crews of hot shot firefighters to be flown in and dropped off in these remote areas, to establish camps from which they will work for several days dousing anything smoldering. “If the wind shifts or the Santa Ana [wind] kicks up, we want to make sure all of those hot spots are extinguished,” Concialdi said.
With other ground gains, Riverside County on Saturday downgraded evacuation orders in some areas to warning status.
Dry conditions still dominate at upper elevations. State officials said the Line fire near Big Bear Lake continued to be active on higher ground. In the Airport fire, Modjeska Peak remained dry, and state officials warned smoldering vegetation above 4,000 feet still had the potential to flare and roll downhill to ignite unburned vegetation.
The high pressure system that locked Southern California in a heat dome last week has been displaced by the passage of a weak and dying cold front. Local weather forecasts called for temperatures slightly below normal, thick night fog and high humidity, and chances for light rain leading into Monday. Light rain returns to the forecast for Wednesday before National Weather Service forecasts call for temperatures to rise again to slightly above normal.
Air quality advisories remained in effect for all four counties, with smoke choking the air with fine-particulate matter. The South Coast Air Quality Management District advised residents to limit outdoor activity.
A firefighting helicopter battles the Airport fire, dropping water near Santiago Peak on Tuesday. The Airport fire has charred more than 9,000 acres.
Amid a record-breaking heat wave, firefighters in Southern California have struggled over the last week to contain three large wildfires that have scorched more than 100,000 acres.
The arson-sparked Line fire has chewed through 38,000 acres in the San Bernardino Mountains between Highland and Big Bear Lake, prompting the evacuation of several mountain communities. The Bridge fire consumed nearly 53,000 acres in the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, destroying more than a dozen structures. And the Airport fire swept through 23,000 acres in Orange and Riverside counties.
The three blazes are still largely uncontrolled, but an incoming cold front and cloudy weather this weekend are expected to offer some reprieve, officials said Saturday. Much of Southern California saw temperatures ranging from the high 60s to mid-70s throughout the day.
Many parts of the region are expected to see a double-digit drop in temperatures, extensive cloud cover and a chance for light rain over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service. In one of the most drastic swings, downtown Los Angeles is forecast to see high temperatures in the low 70s, a nearly 40-degree drop from its high of 112 degrees Sept. 6. There is even a slight chance for light rain Wednesday and Thursday.
These milder conditions — along with increased humidity — are also expected to extend farther inland near the wildfires.
“As we’ve seen the last few days, there’s been a pretty good cooling trend from the excessive heat wave that we saw persist for almost a week,” National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Lewis said. “This provides some really nice relief, especially after these fires have been going out of control.”
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection credited high moisture levels with slowing the Line fire, which was 25% contained as of Saturday but continued to creep into dry vegetation while making occasional runs along slopes. Favorable wind conditions also helped keep the Bridge fire — the largest active wildfire in California — within its current footprint but it remained only 3% contained Saturday. The Airport fire was only 9% contained.
Patchy fog and drizzling rain could help firefighters in these hot spots as well.
“We’re calling it more of a drizzle to light rain,” Lewis said. “That’ll likely impact these lower elevation areas. It’ll help dampen the fuels and potentially help put out some of the smaller spot fires.”
Meanwhile, communities stretching from the San Gabriel Mountains to Lake Elsinore remain under a smoke advisory from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The air district has encouraged residents to take precautions to protect themselves from dangerous levels of air pollution, including remaining indoors and keeping windows closed as wildfires have released large plumes of smoke and ash, which continue to hover over nearby communities.
Last week, several air monitors in the Inland Empire detected fine-particulate pollution levels above the federal health limits, including Riverside, Ontario and Fontana. An air monitor in Big Bear City recorded the highest level with a daily average of 372 parts per million, more than 10 times higher than the federal health standard.
The pollution has eased in many areas. However, communities in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains were still experiencing unhealthy air quality, according to the air district.
Angeles National Forest visitors were being evacuated Sunday as a wildfire broke out north of Glendora in Los Angeles County.
Dubbed the Bridge fire, the blaze had quickly grown to 200 acres as of 6 p.m. Sunday, according to Dana Dierkes, public affairs officer for the Angeles National Forest.
Forest officials said firefighters were performing an “aggressive attack with air and ground resources.” As crews labored, the temperature hit 105 degrees in nearby Glendora.
Dierkes told The Times it was “likely a very busy day” in the forest “given the high temperatures. Visitors come to find relief from the heat in the waters of the San Gabriel River.” Cars parked along forest roads can block firefighters as they try to get to the location of a wildfire, Dierkes noted.
The cause of the fire, which was 0% contained Sunday evening, was under investigation.
Several roads were closed, including State Route 39, East Fork Road, Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road.
Meanwhile, the fight continued against the Line fire in San Bernardino County. The wildfire had caused mandatory evacuations in multiple mountain communities and was threatening more than 35,000 structures.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday declared a state of emergency due to the rapidly expanding blaze.
