Southern Californians are suffering from a heat wave, thanks to a high-pressure system over Arizona that pushed west and settled over the San Fernando Valley and the broader region.

The good news is that the small heat wave that hit Wednesday was peaking Thursday, and the weekend will be somewhat cooler. But according to the National Weather Service, above-average temperatures will again return to Los Angeles and especially to the inland regions next week.

“Weakening onshore flow and subsidence aloft from the strengthening high pressure system will squash the marine layer to under 1,000 feet … and bring significant warming to inland areas and minor warming to coastal areas,” the NWS said.

Lancaster and Palmdale hit about 100 degrees Thursday, followed by Santa Clarita at 95, the San Fernando Valley at 94, Pasadena at 91 and downtown Los Angeles at 88. The National Weather Service said the ultraviolet index level in the Los Angeles area will be 11 today, and that means that fair-skinned people can “suffer a sunburn in about four minutes if not protected.”

Across the region, people looked for ways to cool off. On Wednesday at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center, children enjoyed splashing in the water, and in Santa Monica people went to the beach where temperatures were in the low 70s. In the San Fernando Valley, the few people at Lake Balboa/Anthony C. Beilenson Park sought the shade and opened umbrellas.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass reminded residents that city recreation centers, municipal pools and libraries offer air conditioning for residents to escape the heat. The locations can be found at laparks.org/reccenter and at lapl.org/branches.

City News Service provided information in this story.