Record-breaking heat possible

Newport Beach may be approaching record heat Friday and today, but the wilting weather will be much worse in Costa Mesa, National Weather Service officials said.

The record for heat in Newport Beach at this time of year is 79 degrees, set in 1973. The city was approaching those figures early Friday, and weather officials said there was a possibility the record could be topped.

Other coastal regions, such as Dana Point, were already at 80 degrees.

“It’s a lot cooler right at the coast, but you don’t have to go far inland for it to get to 90 [degrees],” said National Weather Service official Miguel Miller.

There were no records kept for heat in Costa Mesa, but Miller said temperatures should reach close to 90 degrees in the city’s center and will continue that way until Sunday. Just a few miles farther inland in Santa Ana, temperatures will be more than 100 degrees.

The disparity in the temperature between Newport Beach and Costa Mesa is due to the marine layer resting over the ocean that hasn’t lifted, Miller said. That layer protects the coastal areas, despite record heat across Southern California communities, and helps to keep them relatively cool.

The heat will continue today, with a slight drop in temperatures, Miller said. A cooling trend will come to the rescue Sunday when Costa Mesa will return to lower temperatures. Weather farther inland won’t begin to drop until Monday, Miller said.

Newport Beach lifeguards are gearing up for a big weekend, their official first weekend of summer.

Surf conditions are very good, lifeguards said, and with school out at most area high schools, lifeguards are now staffing all towers and units to prepare for the summer frenzy at the beach.

“It’s beautiful down here,” lifeguard Bryan Orourke said. “Not too hot at all.”

With the sun bearing down on beach visitors, Orourke advised guests use waterproof sunscreen with the highest sun-protection factor, or SPF, they can find.

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at [email protected].