Warm, crowded weekend forecast

Get out the sunscreen, and chill the lemonade. That heat wave isn’t in your imagination, and it’s going to continue for another week.

It has not only been hot for nearly the last seven days, there have been a few record-setting temperatures around Southern California, National Weather Service Forecaster Philip Gonsalves said.

In Newport Beach, Tuesday’s high of 90 degrees was a record for that date in previous years ? 8 degrees higher than the highest recorded temperature for June 27, he said.

“It is a little early in the summer season for us to be having a bit of a hot spell,” Gonsalves said, “but it’s not all that uncommon.”

He predicted the hot weather will last through Friday, with highs in the mid to upper 70s along the coast and the upper 80s to low 90s inland. A little June ? well, July ? gloom in the mornings will burn off early, leaving sunny days.

“Drink water; carry sunscreen; don’t leave anybody in the car,” Gonsalves said.

For Newport Beach lifeguards, the Fourth of July holiday is always a busy one. With the current heat wave and the holiday backing up to a weekend, lifeguards said they expect more people than usual to hit the beach.

“We expect crowds of over and around 100,000 each day,” said Lifeguard Battalion Chief Rob Williams.

Newport Beach lifeguards are at maximum staffing for the holiday and the rest of the summer. About 75 lifeguards will be working the sand, and lifeguard boats will patrol off Corona del Mar, Balboa Peninsula and West Newport.

Although the temperatures on land continue to cook, the water temperature is staying cool.

“The water temp’s a little on the colder side, so it’s keeping a few people out of the water,” Williams said.dpt.01-wa-weather-BPhotoInfoV91SHFGR20060701j1p6puncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Amber Else, 9, of Virginia protects herself from the sun on Balboa Island on Friday. Many more visitors are expected in Newport this weekend.