Fire Weather concerns Monday, tracking extreme winds Tuesday
The next round of dangerous and damaging Santa Ana winds arrive Monday. For areas north of Ventura, the first half of our day will be pleasant with sunny skies and warmer than average temperatures. Not much difference from the weekend with highs in the upper 60s and 70s. Winds in Ventura County have already started to pick up. Expect to see gusts near 70mph, downed trees and power lines with the largest impact in eastern Ventura through Los Angeles. These winds will fuels fires further to the south, slowing containment efforts. Low humidity, dry fire fuels and strong winds will promote dangerous and extreme fire weather concerns for Ventura and interior portions of the Central Coast. A Red Flag Warning goes into effect starting later Monday and will last through Wednesday. Fire safety and preparedness are vital keys to staying safe during these times. A Wind Advisory is in effect currently for areas in Ventura County where winds are projected to reach 50mph.
The strongest winds arrive Tuesday. A High Wind Warning starts early Tuesday for Ventura and LA counties. Winds could easily reach 75-80mph which is strong enough to topple over trees, power lines and mobile homes. Expect to see airport delays and objects in the roads. These conditions will be hazardous for firefighters in Los Angeles, winds could easily fuel the fires and halt containment efforts. While hazards are mainly south, we are still expected major impacts in Ventura County. If a fire were to spark, it would erupt and spread rapidly. Pack a go bag, keep an eye on current conditions and watch out for updates. People in LA counties are advised to stay inside, and watch our for evacuation warnings and orders. Temperatures warm into the upper 60s and mid 70s, skies stay sunny although air quality will be something to monitor.
Wednesday morning will still be critical with strong winds, low humidity and fire weather concerns. We begin to see the weather pattern break down and winds die off by Wednesday afternoon. This will be a fantastic sign for firefighters and the upcoming forecast appears more mild. By the January 20th timeframe, we could see a light sprinkling of rain. Temperatures begin to cool back to the 50s and 60s and onshore flow returns. Clouds will increase and long range data shows a winter like pattern setting up into next week.
