HOW TO HANDLE the heat wave this week.

It’s too hot.

How’s that for a blinding flash of the obvious? Temperatures in the Garden Grove-Huntington Beach-Westminster area started to soar on Monday and reached the triple figures on Tuesday, with little relief expected until Thursday.

At midday in Garden Grove, the temperature reached 102 degrees. Proximity to the water – which usually means cooler weather – didn’t do much to cool the air. It was 101 degrees at noon at Ruby’s Diner at end of the Huntington Beach Pier. In Westminster, the thermometer skied to 103 degrees.

Temperatures are expected to remain in the low 100s and the 90s until sundown, falling into the 80s and high 70s in some areas.

The heat should abate somewhat on Wednesday, dropping back into double figures – high 90s – and finally tumbling to the mid-80s by Thursday.

Residents are urged to take precautions to avoid health problems. People are advised to stay inside if possible, and avoid unneeded exertions. Stay hydrated and take advantage of air-cooled public places such as enclosed malls and cooling centers.

In Garden Grove, the H. Louis Lake Senior Center is serving as a public cooling center through Wednesday, Oct. 25. The center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is located at 11300 Stanford Ave., near Euclid Street.