Red Flag Warning issued January 6 at 11:55AM PST until January 8 at 6:00PM PST by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
…LIFE THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, WIDESPREAD WINDSTORM TUESDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR PORTIONS OF LOS ANGELES AND
EASTERN VENTURA COUNTIES– WITH LONG DURATION OF RED FLAG
CONDITIONS INTO THURSDAY– POSSIBLY EXTENDING INTO FRIDAY…
…RED FLAG WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND MUCH OF
VENTURA COUNTY—SEE TIMINGS IN HEADLINES BELOW…
…RED FLAG WARNING ISSUED FOR SANTA BARBARA MOUNTAINS INCLUDING
EASTERN SANTA YNEZ RANGE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY…
.Offshore winds are now expected to develop rapidly early Tuesday
morning, leading to an earlier start time of the Red Flag Warning
for many areas. Confidence is high for a life threatening,
destructive, widespread windstorm with dangerous fire weather
conditions Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning,
especially focused on the San Gabriel mountains and foothills,
San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Hollywood/Beverly Hills,
coastal areas adjacent to the Sepulveda Pass, Simi Valley, and
Santa Monica mountains into Malibu. Strong mountain wave wind
activity will likely impact many of these areas, resulting in very
strong, erratic, and damaging wind gusts, capable of widespread
downed trees/powerlines, as well as widespread power outages. This
windstorm will likely be as destructive as the 2011 windstorm
that impacted Pasadena and nearby San Gabriel Valley foothills.
While the longer duration of strong winds is expected to be
focused across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, there is now
expected to be a shorter duration of Red Flag conditions across
the mountains of Santa Barbara county Tuesday into Wednesday.
Long duration Red Flag Warnings are in effect for much of Los
Angeles and Ventura counties Tuesday through Thursday, with Fire
Weather Watches in effect Thursday night into Friday. This is
a high end Red Flag event. Any new fires will have a high risk
for very rapid fire spread and large fire growth, extreme fire
behavior, and long range spotting.
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard has issued a
Red Flag Warning for strong/damaging winds and low relative
humidity, which is in effect from 4 PM Tuesday to 6 PM PST
Wednesday.
* WINDS…Strong/damaging north to northeast winds from late
Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday with sustained winds of 25 to
40 mph and damaging wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph likely. Strongest
winds likely in the Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, coastal
areas adjacent to Sepulveda Pass, Palos Verdes extending into
Catalina Island.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…Humidities likely falling to between 10 and
20 percent by late Tuesday. There is also a chance of single
digit humidities on Wednesday.
* IMPACTS…If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable for
very rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, including long
range spotting, which would threaten life and property. There
will be a high risk for downed trees and powerlines, as well as
widespread power outages.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. Use extreme caution
with anything that can spark a wildfire. Residents near wildland
interfaces should be prepared to evacuate if a wildfire breaks
out. See readyforwildfire.org and wildfirerisk.org for
information.
