A powerful storm brought lightning, rain and hail to the Antelope Valley even though the temperature was still 90 degrees by 11 p.m.
But for workers at a San Fernando Valley dry cleaners, the show had to go on, heat wave or not.
"What can we do we? We have to work," said Juan Claros, manager of Texas Dry Cleaners.
Claros opened his shop at 7 a.m. and said working around all the steam can be downright unbearable when temperatures outside reach the triple digits.
"Feels you are in a sauna," he said. But at the sauna, you're in the steam for minutes, unlike hours like the workers at Texas Dry Cleaners.
They'll be happy when the heat finally let's up this weekend, and so will the workers at an Encino pastry shop. Baker Renae Hall said stocking their display means putting in long hours in a very hot kitchen.
"Our kitchen gets up to like 120 degrees, super hot, so I try to stay in the front where it's cool, but we gotta work back there, so we just deal, just suck it up. It's work, right?" she said.
Swimmers hit the Sherman Oaks pool early to avoid the heat.
"The weather is nice, and I guess you have more energy than when you do it in the afternoon, and you don't have to wear that much sunscreen," said Natalie Somboonkit.
Teacher Jean Everman said she was trying to get a swim in before her first day of school.
"Hopefully my air conditioning will continue to work," she said with a laugh.
The Southland is expected to get relief from the heat by the weekend.
Heat wave safety tips
- Drink more fluids. Don't wait until you're thirsty.
- Don't drink alcohol or sugary liquids because they dehydrate you.
- Wear light, loose-fitting clothing.
- If possible, stay in cool, air-conditioned place.
- Never leave people or pets in a parked vehicle.
- If you must be in the heat, limit outdoor activity and cut down on exercise.
