People flock to the beach in the scorching SoCal heat

Heat wave strikes the Southland

If you haven't been outside yet, take note: It's hot. We've be warned about the heat wave. Now it's here.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - The Southland was sweltering under an early-summer heatwave this weekend, with temperatures reaching triple-digits.

Temperatures at the beaches were in the 70’s Saturday afternoon but the Inland Empire and valley are experiencing triple-digit temperatures this weekend.

Saturday's high reached 89 degrees in downtown Los Angeles, 99 in Pasadena, 105 in Van Nuys and 104 in Palmdale and Lancaster.

“It’s such an amazing place to refresh and re-cool so that’s why I’m down here today,” says Jeffrey Osborne, visiting Santa Monica from the East Coast.

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The Shopane family, also at the beach, couldn’t take the heat at their home in South Central.

“We have a lot of fans going on because there’s really no central air or heat,” says Jasma Chopane. “It was really hot,” added her daughter, Jiana. “I was like, ‘Oh Lord, it’s hot out here!”

“I just came from the valley and my car said 106!” exclaimed Bill Woodcock. “It was Instant sweat. It reminds me of Austin or Houston, Texas, where you can go outside in July and August, and you have to start your air conditioner and then put your shirt on to go to work.”

It’s going to be dangerously hot through Sunday night, so be especially cautious not to leave kids or pets locked in the car, even for a second.

And with the heat advisory in effect, stay hydrated, exercise in the morning or evening if possible, and consider a visit to one of a few free cooling centers the county has open this weekend or jump in the ocean.

CNS contributed to this report.