Tracking extreme fire weather concerns Thursday
Damaging Santa Ana winds crank back up Thursday morning. Winds and low humidity will aid in the Mountain Fire growth and it will be a dangerous situation for firefighters. Reports of 60mph wind gusts occurred Wednesday afternoon near Ventura and similar winds are projected by the evening. Air quality and smoke inhalation are dangerous for most of Ventura County, limit any outdoor exposure and close windows. Strong winds will still cause impacts on the U.S 101 so keep your distance from high profile vehicles and be aware of tree branches in the roads. Thousands of customers in Ventura County are without power due to power safety shutoffs. Winds continue to fuel this fire into the evening, causing spot fires through the coverage zone. The Red Flag Warning has been extended until 9am Thursday for Ventura County, this is a particularly dangerous situation. To put things into perspective, the last time an extreme situation such as this event occurred over 4 years ago. After 6pm winds begin to decline and gradually taper off. Onshore flow returns and will boost humidity values helping to halt the fire. The Wind Advisory and High Wind Warning will expire by 4pm. The Marine Storm Warning will also be allowed to expire close to the 4pm timeframe. Temperatures climb into the 60s and 70s and skies from Santa Barbara and further north stay mostly sunny. It is a chilly morning for San Luis Obispo and a Freeze Warning will be in effect until 9am.
The extreme Santa Ana wind event will be over by Friday. This will help firefighting efforts as the wind tapers off this weekend. Air quality will still be a concern for our southern communities, please close windows and limit outdoor activities. Keep an eye on current air quality values and be aware that while winds will be significantly lighter, they could push smoke further south. Highs climb into the 60s and 70s with mostly sunny skies.
Saturday and Sunday are expected to be calm and dry. Temperatures rise above average and we can expect minimal change in temperatures by the coastline. Although this will be an ideal time for fire crews to gain containment, we are projecting our next round of Santa Ana winds to arrive by Monday and Tuesday of next week. This next event will be significantly lighter but fire weather concerns will be at the leading weather story. More Red Flag Warnings and Wind Advisories will go into effect this weekend in preparation. We may see a sprinkling of rain with this next event, helping lessen the impacts. It is still imperative to have a go bag packed and ready. Stay up to date on your most recent forecast.
