INLAND EMPIRE - (INT) - The final hours of spring brought Southern California its hottest weather of the year breaking some temperature records and setting off a statewide FlexAlert.

Air conditioners were humming as Cal Iso urged Californians to shut off unnecessary lights and appliances until 9pm. A similar request goes up from 2pm-9pm Wednesday. Rolling blackouts were imposed around the mountain resort of Big Bear Tuesday where a wildfire prompted an evacuation order at Baldwin Lake.

Near Riverside, an equipment failure blacked out Mead Valley.

Coincidentally, the extreme heat is a replay of a similar event that opened the summer of 2016. The summer of 2017 officially arrived Tuesday at 9:24pm.

While forecasters will discontinue a heat advisory for the inland valleys and mountains Wednesday night, an excessive heat warning has been extended through Friday in the Mojave Desert and the Coachella Valley through Sunday where temperatures have eclipsed 120 degrees.

Along the coast, a persistent marine layer is fending off the heat wave. Swimmers frolicking in the surf are warned of unusually high tides and surf up to 6-feet. Water temperatures have exceeded 70 degrees in Orange County.

June Gloom and its soothing temperatures that prevailed the first-half of the month is not predicted to return.

Elsewhere, the record-breaking heat wave is having another consequence in Central California. Rivers, lakes and streams are at very high levels due to the extensive winter snow pack melting at a very fast rate, the National Weather Service warns.

By the numbers, Tuesday's highs:
Riverside 104
San Bernardino 104
Ontario 103
Lake Elsinore 111
Moreno Valley 107
Hemet 106
Palm Springs 122 (tied record)

Story Date: June 22, 2017