An Extreme Heat Warning is currently in effect for a broad stretch of Southern California, covering the Indian Wells Valley, San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys (the Inland Empire), Apple and Lucerne Valleys, Coachella Valley, San Diego County Mountains, and the Antelope Valley. The warning was issued on July 23, 2026 at 11:47 AM PDT and remains active through July 27, 2026 at 9:00 PM PDT. The alert was issued jointly by NWS Hanford CA, NWS San Diego CA, and NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA. Residents in all listed areas should treat this warning as active regardless of when they are reading this, until the expiration date and time have passed.
What the National Weather Service Is Telling Residents to Do Right Now
The National Weather Service is providing direct, specific guidance for anyone living in or traveling through these affected areas. The core message: drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. These are not suggestions, under an Extreme Heat Warning, these actions are essential to survival for vulnerable individuals.
Do not leave young children or pets in unattended vehicles. According to NWS, car interiors can reach lethal temperatures within a matter of minutes. This applies at any hour during the warning period, not only at peak afternoon heat.
If you must be outside, wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous physical activities to early morning or evening hours when temperatures are lower. Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and take immediate action if you or someone nearby shows signs of either condition. Heat stroke is a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved immediately to a cool, shaded location while emergency services are contacted.
For those who work outdoors, the NWS alert specifically references guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): schedule frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Employers and workers alike should treat this recommendation as a baseline standard for the duration of the warning.
The National Weather Service summarizes its guidance simply: stay cool, stay hydrated, stay informed. Monitor official NWS updates through the warning period as conditions may be updated before the July 27 expiration.
Connecting This Alert to Your Preparedness Plan
Extreme heat is consistently one of the deadliest weather-related hazards in the United States, and alerts like this one are a practical reminder that preparedness isn’t only about hurricanes or earthquakes. USRiskRadar’s evergreen guidance on heat preparedness covers the fundamentals: identifying cooling centers in your community in advance, keeping an emergency water supply on hand, and building a check-in routine for elderly neighbors and family members who may not recognize heat-related symptoms in themselves. If you live in or near any of the listed areas. Indian Wells Valley, the Inland Empire, Coachella Valley, or any of the other zones named in this warning, now is the time to confirm your plan is in place and that the people around you are accounted for. The warning runs through the evening of July 27, 2026, and the NWS offices covering this region will issue updates if conditions change.
For the fundamentals that apply beyond this specific alert, see our Power Outage Preparedness guide.
Source: National Weather Service (NWS Hanford CA, NWS San Diego CA, NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA), active alert data retrieved 2026-07-23 19:39 UTC via api.weather.gov.
