Heat wave gives way to storms

Lightning combined with strong wind gusts and high temperatures will raise fire risks.

- HANNAH FRY

A FALLEN TREE rests on the home of the Juarez family on Mt. Whitney Avenue in Riverside on Tuesday.

Scorching temperatures that baked Southern California over Labor Day weekend will continue this week paired with thunderstorms and lightning strikes that will heighten fire risks across much of the state.

A surge of monsoonal moisture, not uncommon during summer months, moved into the state from the southwest desert region early Tuesday, bringing lightning across much of California.

Monsoon thunderstorms can trigger dust storms, lightning sparked wildfires and downpours that result in flooding.

Lightning paired with potential wind gusts of up to 50 mph and high temperatures reaching into the triple digits in some areas will significantly raise fire weather concerns through at least Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

Meteorologists tracked 50 to 100 lightning strikes per hour across Southern California on Tuesday morning, said Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

"This one has quite a bit of energy with it," Lewis said.