Thanksgiving week heat wave: LA residents take to beaches, downtown ice rink

Thursday, November 23, 2017
LA residents take to Echo Park Lake, downtown ice rink
Unseasonably hot temperatures continued to scorch the Southland on the day before Thanksgiving.

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- As unseasonably hot temperatures continued to scorch the Southland on the day before Thanksgiving, people took to the beaches and an outdoor ice rink in downtown L.A.'s Pershing Square in an effort to beat the heat.

"Right here it's like, you want to get in ambiance," Lani Rocha said as she enjoyed her lunch next to the skating rink. "Right now, we feel like it's summer. So it's not that ambiance of fall."

In 1903, a record high temperature of 90 degrees was recorded in downtown Los Angeles. That mark could be shattered on Thursday, forecasters said.

At Echo Park Lake, the paddleboat operator said although it is not unusual to see boaters out on the water in mid-November, the length of the outings has shortened.

Unseasonably hot temperatures continued to scorch the Southland on the day before Thanksgiving.

"The average is about 40 minutes," said Mohamed Ali of Echo Park Pedal Boats. "Today, it's looking more like 10 minutes - a quick picture and they're done."

Young Eli Yguado said he has "never had a very hot Thanksgiving."

"Most Thanksgivings are pretty chilly and they rain, usually," he noted. "But I don't think this Thanksgiving's going to be rainy like usual."