Swell Matrix

Area Forecast Discussion

National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard Ca

759 pm PDT Mon Oct 5 2026

Synopsis

05/1246 PM.

A major and long lasting heat wave will to persist through at least Thursday with dangerously high temperatures, though some cooling is expected near the coast the next few days. Friday into Sunday, temperatures will trend cooler each day and there is a small chance of showers and thunderstorms due to moisture from Hurricane Rachel.

Short Term

(Mon-Thu), 05/756 PM.

***UPDATE***

One more hot day in a long string of hot days. There was 3 to 5 degrees of cooling across the Central Coast. Most of the immediate coast south of Pt Conception saw about 2 to 4 degrees of cooling. This cooling was due to an uptick in the afternoon onshore flow. Little to no downsloping allowed about 3 degrees of cooling across the Antelope Vly. The rest of the area warmed slightly as there was an increase in the offshore push from the north.

7 records were broken today: DTLA (104 vs 101), Burbank (Tie at 102), Woodland Hills (106 vs 105), Long Beach Airport (Tie at 104), LAX (Tie at 101), Camarillo (99 vs 98) and Oxnard (98 vs 94).

It was the 4th consecutive day of max temps 100 degrees or higher at the DTLA site. This is the record for October and it looks like that record will be xtnd by 1 maybe two days.

Marine layer clouds are making a slight return along the Central Coast and there will likely be some patchy dense fog overnight into the morning esp along the western SBA coast.

Current Forecast is in good shape and no updates are needed.

***From Previous Discussion***

It's going to remain hot through the rest of the week but as we noticed today there will be some areas near the immediate coast where the sea breeze pushes, resulting in 1-5 degrees of cooling. One exception to that may be along the Central Coast where models are showing a light northeast flow off the Santa Lucia range that should push temps into the 90s Tue and Wed. For inland areas temperature trends will likely remain flat or possibly 1-2 degrees of cooling for areas below 500 feet elevation as high pressure aloft remains quite strong and gradients remain 1-3mb offshore.

Long Term

(Fri-Mon), 05/207 PM.

High pressure will start to break down by around Friday but highs will still be 6-12 degrees warmer than normal with warmer valley highs around 100 and Downtown in the low to mid 90s.

A more pronounced cooling trend is expected by Sat as high pressure weakens and a weak upper level low drops down the coast of California. That upper low may pull up moisture from Rachel, depending on Rachel's track, so there is a chance of showers by Sunday, mainly LA County.

Aviation

06/0047z.

At 0020Z at KLAX, there was no marine layer. There was a sfc based inversion with a top at 1500 ft and a temp of 32 C.

Moderate confidence in TAFs for KSMX with a 40 percent chc no clouds developing tonight

Fair confidence KSBP there is a 15 percent chc of VLIFR conds for a few hours 12Z-16Z.

High confidence in the remainder of the CAVU TAFs.

KLAX, High confidence in CAVU TAF. Good confidence that any east wind component will be AOB 6kt.

KBUR, High confidence in CAVU TAF.

Marine

05/747 PM.

Generally quiet conditions are expected across the coastal waters through the forecast period. Localized Small Craft Advisory (SCA) gusts may occur each afternoon and evening between Point Conception and San Nicolas Island, off the coast of Point Dume, and across the San Pedro Channel. There is a 30% chance of SCA level gusts Wednesday afternoon through Friday for the outer waters north of the Channel Islands, mainly during the afternoon to evening hours. Night through morning dense fog may affect portions of the coastal waters west of the Channel islands and Point Conception through Thursday.

Beaches

05/757 PM.

Southerly swell from Hurricane Rachel will impact the Los Angeles and Ventura Counties coastline including Catalina Island starting late Tuesday. A Beach Hazard Statement has been issued starting 4 PM Tuesday and will transition to an a Coastal Flood Advisory early Wednesday morning through Friday.

Initially, the swell direction will be SE (150-160) Tuesday becoming more southerly (170-190) Wednesday and Friday. As Rachel continues westward, the swell direction will becoming more southerly (170-190) by Thursday and Friday. Unlike previous events, morning and evening high tides will be similar in height ranging 6.5 to 7.0 ft. Coastal flooding impacts are anticipated to be greatest for Long Beach, Catalina Island, and Malibu/Zuma Beach.

Saturday into early next week, tides will be very high (7+ feet) and a combination of long period southerly and westerly swells are expected to impact our coastline over the weekend into at least early next week. Some uncertainty in exact coastal flooding and surf impacts, but there is a risk for significant impacts. Please continue to monitor the forecast going forward.

Watches, Warnings, Advisories

Ca, Extreme Heat Warning in effect until 8 PM PDT Thursday for zones 38-87-88-349>358-362-366>375-548-550. (See LAXNPWLOX). Beach Hazards Statement in effect from Tuesday afternoon through late Tuesday night for zones 87-354-362-366. (See LAXCFWLOX). Coastal Flood Advisory in effect from 6 AM Wednesday to 11 PM PDT Friday for zones 87-354-362-366. (See LAXCFWLOX). Heat Advisory in effect from 10 AM Wednesday to 8 PM PDT Thursday for zones 340-346. (See LAXNPWLOX). Heat Advisory in effect until 8 PM PDT Thursday for zones 341>345-347-348. (See LAXNPWLOX). PZ, NONE.

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