Tracking dangerous Santa Ana winds Wednesday and Thursday
A dangerous set of Santa Ana winds crank up Wednesday morning for Ventura County. This is a particularly dangerous event with damaging winds and extreme fire weather concerns. Some models show gusts near 80mph for coastal communities which may down trees and power lines. Life threatening conditions are possible if a fire is ignited. Very dry vegetation and warm temperatures could lead to erratic fire growth and near impossible containment. Fire safety is imperative this afternoon, make sure to know where to find the latest evacuation orders and warnings, pack a go bag and stay up to date on the latest information. 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 and drop to single digits while temperatures rise into the upper 60s and 70s. Skies stay mostly clear and winds remain strong through the overnight hours.
Hazardous winds continue Thursday morning and keep a plethora of fire watches and warnings in effect. Temperatures warm further Thursday as well, meaning fire concern will be the main concern. It is important to reiterate that if a fire does spark up, it could be a life threatening event and you must be prepared to leave at a moments notice. Power lines, downed trees and hazardous driving will be another set of issues with this event. Winds do begin to ease up by the evening hours but we will not be out of the clear until Friday.
Winds die down heading into the weekend and sunny skies prevail. 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.
