Santa Ana Winds Raise Threat of Wildfires in Southern California

The wildfire danger in Southern California is going to increase on Wednesday and Thursday thanks to a Santa Ana wind event. Here is a look at the timing of the winds and how they will raise the threat of wildfires to the highest level in years.

Santa Ana Winds Breaking Out Across Southern California

Forecasters are warning that powerful northeasterly winds are going to roar through Southern California in the days ahead. These Santa Ana winds get their start in the mountains and canyons of the southern part of the Golden State, eventually whipping down to the lower elevations.

An area of building high pressure coming together over the Pacific Northwest will pair with the powerful winds circulating in the atmosphere in the Desert Southwest to create the Santa Ana winds. While the winds first began to pick up speed late Tuesday, they will last well into Thursday. The highest winds are expected later on Wednesday.

How High to Expect the Winds to Hit

The northeasterly winds will gust to up to 60 mph on a widespread basis. The strongest gusts may reach speeds as high as 80 mph in the higher terrains. Gusts of this magnitude are potent enough to trigger property damage and bring down trees and power lines.

More concerning will be the threat of wildfires as a result of the high winds. The National Weather Service's (NWS) Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has issued an Extremely Critical risk of fires for Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo and Moorpark, California. This is the highest risk level assigned by the agency and is also the first extreme fire risk put in place for California since December 2020.

The worst of the winds will churn in parts of Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and northwestern Los Angeles counties. Most of the Los Angeles metro area will be protected from the highest of the highest of the winds.

For instance, Valencia is forecast to see winds out of the northeast at 25 to 40 mph throughout the day Wednesday. Some gusts could top the 50 mph mark. Winds will begin to diminish slightly on Thursday, clocking in at speeds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts of over 40 mph a possibility. Highs will reach about 70 degrees on Wednesday before inching up into the mid 70s on Thursday. Skies will be mostly clear during this time.