Dangerous and damaging winds Tuesday, tracking fire weather concerns
Dangerous and life threatening winds are projected in Southern California Tuesday through Thursday. Ventura County will see widespread damage, dangerous sea conditions and power outages. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for portions of Ventura, interior Santa Barbara and Santa Maria County. Dangerously low humidity values, winds peaking around 80mph and critical fire weather concerns are heightened Tuesday evening. Winds could be strong enough to turnover big rigs and mobile homes. Greatest concern Tuesday evening through Wednesday evening. Mountain waves are expected but are particularly dangerous and notoriously hard to predict. Winds could pick up and produce dangerous gust lasting for a few hours. The National Weather Service states that this event will be the strongest north wind event since late 2011. Plan for power outages, park away from trees, travel safely. Gale force winds could occur near the Catalina Islands and will impact our marine conditions. It is imperative to avoid the waters and boating through at least Friday as winds and waves could topple over boats. Airport delays are expected through Burbank and La Counties. Multiple Wind Alerts and High Surf Advisories are in effect through Thursday. It is vital to keep an eye on your most recent forecast and practice safety.
Winds will be extremely strong through Wednesday morning. This could impact your morning commute, make sure to keep an eye on road conditions and look for debris in the road. Palm fronds and downed trees may cause slowdowns. Straight lined winds along the U.S 101 are strong enough to topple over big rigs and high profile vehicles. Winds will cause humidity values to drop and wildfire concerns through the evening. Gale force winds and strong waves will cause problems for boaters and surfers.
Expect more extreme winds through Thursday, these multiple day systems are extremely dangerous as temperatures climb, humidity decreases and fore fuels remain dry. Ingredients for a fire to start and spread are ideal. One small gust of wind could carry ash and embers over multiple miles causing more spot fires. Some longer range models show that gusts will crank back up again Friday. This will be monitored as well as current conditions. By the weekend we see temperatures cool off and winds die down.
