Wildfire Risk Elevated in Southern California Thanks to Santa Anas

Southern California is in store for another round of Santa Ana winds this week. When will the high winds hit and how strong will the gusts land? Read on for all of the details.

Southern California Braces for Santa Ana Winds to Whip Up

Forecasters are warning that a change in the overall weather pattern will trigger the development of Santa Ana winds across much of Southern California by the middle of the week. An area of high pressure building over the Great Basin will pair with a storm that is coming together in the northwestern corner of Mexico to produce the high wind event.

You can expect the strong winds to fire up later in the day Tuesday and linger through at least Wednesday evening. Gusts will peak at speeds of 50 to 70 mph across the most impacted part of the region. Areas such as Riverside, Santa Clarita, and Valencia will be in the bullseye of the action.

As is typical with a Santa Ana event, downtown Los Angeles will escape the highest gusts. The unique topography of this downtown corridor shelters it from the winds as they sweep down from the mountains. However, the latest forecast models indicate that the downtown area will still see the possibility of gusts that hit 30 mph on Tuesday night and into Wednesday.

Santa Ana winds tend to be more localized. This means that while some areas get whalloped with the powerful gusts, nearby communities will also see breezy conditions.

Areas that see the worst of the winds will be vulnerable to minor infrastructure damage and downed trees. The crosswinds may also create hazardous conditions on the roadways for high-profile vehicles. It is also possible that some of the major airports in the region will be dealing with flight delays as a result of the winds.

Lastly, the high winds will partner with low humidity levels to raise the threat of wildfire danger. Residents should be extra cautious when working with open flames, being aware that the tiniest spark can ignite a large fire that grows quickly as the winds whip around.

Meteorologists believe that the winds will begin to ease on Thursday as the storm brewing in Mexico moves in the opposite direction of Southern California and gives up its influence.

Area Forecasts in Detail

Now let's look at a few area forecasts at a greater depth. Los Angeles is under a high wind watch from 10 am Tuesday through Wednesday at 6 pm. Impacted areas under this watch include the Los Angeles County beaches, the Los Angeles County inland coast, Downtown Los Angeles, and Palos Verdes Hills. The forecast is calling for winds out of the north-northwest at 25 to 40 mph with some gusts approaching the 60-degree mark near the Hollywood Hills region. A large part of this area is also under a fire weather watch.

Los Angeles is forecast to see highs in the low 70s over the next few days with lows slipping to about 52 degrees overnight Tuesday with lows dropping into the mid 40s Wednesday night. Both Tuesday and Wednesday will see a mix of sun and clouds in the City of Angels.

It will be windier heading farther inland. Riverside is also under a high wind watch with winds expected to clock in at 20 to 30 mph on Tuesday before sliding to speeds of 15 to 25 mph on Wednesday. Highs will reach the upper 60s with partly cloudy skies.

The area surrounding Valencia is under a high wind warning during this same time period. Impacted areas include the eastern San Fernando Valley, the eastern portions of the Santa Monica Mountains recreational area, the Interstate 5 corridor through this part of the Golden State, the Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley, the Santa Clarita Valley, and the western San Fernando Valley. Winds out of the north-northeast will come in at speeds of 30 to 45 mph with gusts likely to hit 60 to 80 mph.

Valencia specifically will see highs drop from the mid 70s on Monday to readings in the upper 60s on Tuesday and Wednesday. While Tuesday will see mostly sunny skies, clouds will begin to build overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday.

The Santa Clarita Valley is also under red flag warning beginning 10 am Tuesday and lasting through 6 pm on Thursday. Humidity levels are forecast to hover between 20 and 30 percent by early Tuesday afternoon. These levels will slip to about 15 percent or less by Tuesday night and remain at this mark until Friday.

What is Next for the Storm?

Just because Southern California will no longer be under the influence of the storm in Mexico, it does not mean that the rest of the nation will escape its impacts. The latest forecast shows that this storm will turn into a far-reaching weather maker as it moves to the north and the east.

This system is forecast to push into the south-central U.S. by the end of the week. Here it will meet with the cold air circulating over the region to generate more wintry weather.

The snow and ice could impact areas as far south as northern and central Texas, an area that is not accustomed to seeing widespread wintry precipitation. The winter weather is then expected to move into the Tennessee Valley before finally making its way to the East Coast.

A number of major cities will be in the potential path of this storm. This includes metro areas such as Dallas, Nashville, Little Rock, and Atlanta. It is still too early to determine the exact timing of this system and what areas may see ice rather than snow. Be sure to check back in the coming days to see how this storm develops as it moves into the U.S.

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