Southern California hit by severe heat wave

Southern California is experiencing severe heat wave from Monday, with temperatures expected to hit triple digits throughout the week.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) has issued an excessive heat watch for much of Southern California, with temperatures to rise a few degrees on Monday, then spike even more on Tuesday and stay that way through the Labor Day weekend, Xinhua news agency reported.

"High pressure will produce a prolonged warming trend with only a minimal marine layer," according to the NWS. "By mid week very hot conditions will develop with triple-digit heat for many valley and mountain locations through the Labor Day weekend. This heat may be record breaking and will likely produce a very high heat illness risk."

This week's excessive heat for the region will be the warmest and longest heat wave so far this summer, said David Sweet, a meteorologist for the NWS in Oxnard, California, adding that record temperatures are possible.

A large dome of hot air sitting over Central and Southern California is driving the heat wave, Sweet was quoted by The Los Angeles Times as saying.