Thousands seek relief from the heat at beach

Susan McCormack

NEWPORT BEACH -- As temperatures in parts of the county soared near

100 degrees for the second day in a row, people flocked to Newport Beach

to take advantage of the sun before autumn really kicks in.

“We had quite a handful” of visitors,” lifeguard Rob Williams said.

Williams said about 18,000 people slacked, suntanned and surfed at the

beach Thursday, compared to the 3,000 to 5,000 that Newport saw last

week.

At about 4 p.m., the thermometer was still in the mid-80s, Williams

added.

Stan Wasowski, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, said

the high in Newport Beach on Thursday was 84 degrees, which is not a

record. Temperatures around the county hit 100 in some places but were

mostly in the high 80s and 90s.

“The extreme high pressure built around Southern California squished

the onshore flow that generally cools us during this time of year,”

Wasowski said. “When the high pressure gets too intense, it pushes the

marine layer away and we heat up.”

The good news is that it should cool down today and through the

weekend, Wasowski said.

“This is the end of the heat,” he said. “Tomorrow will still be warm,

but temperatures will definitely cool down.”

But the hot spell on land doesn’t change the fact that it’s October in

the ocean.

“It’s very hot, but the water was freezing,” said Kim Perez of Orange,

who was out for a day at the beach Thursday.

There was a payoff for braving the water, though.

“The water was so clear, you could see the fish,” Perez said.

Out-of-state businessmen even found some time to visit the beach.

“We were surprised it was this warm,” said Tucson resident Michael

Montgomery, who was joined by two colleagues for a walk on the beach. The

men went straight from a business meeting to the beach. They were still

dressed in suits, luckily with short-sleeve shirts.

Did anyone feel that the unusual warm weather should make way for

October?

No, said a red-faced Anaheim resident Brion Gaddis, who had been

bodyboarding since noon.

“I want it to keep up,” added his friend Romie Perez.