Red Flag Warning issued January 6 at 11:55AM PST until January 9 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.
…FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING
THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR POTENTIAL WEAK TO MODERATE OFFSHORE
WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS AND
SANTA SUSANA MOUNTAINS…
* WINDS..Destructive north to northeast sustained winds 40 to 60
mph with widespread damaging gusts of 80 to 100 mph likely.
Moderate to locally strong north to northeast winds with gusts
of 40 to 60 mph will likely persist Thursday, with some
weakening possible by Friday.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…Humidities 20 to 30 percent early Tuesday
morning, falling to 10 to 20 percent by late Tuesday
afternoon/evening. Humidities will potentially fall to single
digits in some areas from Wednesday into Friday.
* 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 the potential for downed trees and
powerlines, as well as power outages.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Confidence is high that this will likely be
a widespread destructive windstorm across the mountains with
dangerous fire weather conditions. This will likely be the most
destructive windstorm since the 2011 windstorm that did
extensive damage to Pasadena and nearby foothills of the San
Gabriel Valley.
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.
A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions
are likely to occur in the coming days. Residents near wildland
interfaces should prepare now on what to do if a wildfire breaks
out. See readyforwildfire.org and wildfirerisk.org for
information..
