Cooling trend begins Thursday

Wednesday was the warmest day of the week, with parts of the region warming to above average temperatures. Both the Red Flag Warning and the Fire Weather Watch have been lifted by the National Weather Service because of improving conditions. However, the gusty northerly winds will persist into tonight, primarily impacting the South Coast.

The Wind Advisory remains in effect until 5am Thursday for Santa Barbara County's Southwestern Coast and the Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range. 25-35 mph winds are expected, with gusts up to 55 mph. Hazardous beach conditions are expected as well, because of dangerous rip currents and high surf. A High Surf Advisory remains in effect for Central Coast and Ventura County Beaches until 9pm Thursday evening.

Temperatures will fluctuate over the next several days. By Thursday and into the weekend, onshore flow will strengthen and an upper low will bring much cooler conditions. There is a slight chance of rain as well, especially on Saturday and Sunday because of the low making its way to the region. By early next week, temperatures will warm up yet again.