Hot temperatures in October not unusual, expert says

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- While it may seem hotter than usual in Southern California for October, climatologists say the triple digit temperatures are not as rare as we might think.

"The triple digit temperatures tend to hit the coastal areas more, such as downtown Los Angeles," said Rich Minnich of UC Riverside. "As you go into the fall, the marine influence just weakens and weakens ... and you get more hot days as well as Santa Ana Winds, which are going to blow to the sea and produce the hottest temperatures toward the beach."

Downtown L.A. is coming off three consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures. That's the longest stretch of triple-digit numbers in more than 25 years.

MORE: Cooling centers across Southern California