Southern California should prepare for "dangerously hot" temperatures through Saturday, but elevated heat will persist into early next week.

The peak of the heat wave is expected Thursday and Friday, the National Weather Service said. While it’s brought hotter temperatures than in recent weeks, it is not particularly extreme in terms of all-time Southern California highs. “This is definitely more normal heat for this time of year,” Sam Zuber, an NWS meteorologist said.

A heat wave hitting the West, sending temperatures soaring past the century mark, is expected to persist into the weekend, with the most intense and prolonged heat expected in the Desert Southwest.