Monitoring critical fire weather Thursday
A particularly dangerous event with damaging winds and extreme fire weather conditions occur Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Some models show gusts near 60mph for coastal communities which may down trees and power lines. Power shutoffs will occur through Ventura County as a fire preventative measure. Life threatening conditions are possible if a fire is ignited, stay up to date on the latest evacuation warnings and orders. Very dry vegetation and warm temperatures could lead to erratic fire growth and near impossible containment. Fire safety is imperative into the overnight hours. Crosswinds along the U.S 101 will be particularly dangerous for high profile vehicles and can easily tip semi trucks on their side. You may see debris, downed trees or branches in the road, make sure to travel extra carefully. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for most of the Central Coast through Thursday evening. A High Wind Warning is in effect for Ventura County where isolated gusts in high terrain could top out at 100mph. A Marine Storm Warning is in effect for south facing beaches through Ventura County, winds and waves will cause treacherous marine conditions. A High Surf Advisory is in effect for areas north of Point Conception until 9am. Humidity values plummet by midday Thursday and drop to single digits while temperatures rise into the upper 60s and 70s. Air quality will be a concern as smoke could waft into the Santa Barbara area. Avoid outdoor activities in hazardous air quality areas.
Winds die down heading into Friday and sunny skies prevail. While the Santa Ana wind event will be over, fire concerns are still prevalent. It will be a warm and dry weekend as temperatures rise above average. Highs will climb into the upper 60s and 70s near the coastline and mid 70s inland. Saturday and Sunday will be pleasant for most of the coverage zone but keep an eye on air quality as the Mountain fire could still be burning.
Get out and enjoy the calm weather while it lasts because we are tracking our next set of Santa Ana winds into Monday and Tuesday of next week. This next set of winds will not be as impactful as the current event. Models show a moderate wind event and the possibility of more Red Flag Warnings. There is also a slight chance of rain in the extended forecast, the First Alert Weather Team will be monitoring this situation closely.
