Red Flag Warning across Southern California as Santa Ana winds bring dangerous fire conditions
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Red Flag Warning across Southern California as Santa Ana winds bring dangerous fire conditions

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

Red Flag Warnings are in effect for Southern California due to Santa Ana winds bringing gusts of up to 65 miles per hour and “extremely rare and dangerous” fire weather conditions.

Monday red flag warnings are in effect for the San Gabriel Mountains, the Santa Monica Mountains, the Santa Clarita Valley, the coasts and valleys of Ventura County and the western San Fernando Valley from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time Wednesday, the National Weather Service office said in Los Angeles with .

Meanwhile, a red flag warning is also in effect for the same areas from 10 p.m. Monday to 2 p.m. Tuesday due to Santa Ana winds, low humidity and extremely dry vegetation as a “particularly dangerous situation.” The warning covers Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

This rarely issued warning means there is a high risk of “extreme fire behavior and very rapid growth”.

Santa Ana winds occur when air flows westward from a high-pressure region over dry desert toward low-pressure areas off the California coast. They occur more frequently from September to May.

According to the PDS Red Flag Warning, damaging wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph are likely, along with single-digit humidity levels over windier mountains and foothills.

Gusts of 40 to 65 mph are forecast along most wind-prone coastal and valley areas in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Winds in Santa Ana are expected to increase late Monday morning into the afternoon and peak Monday night into Tuesday, according to the NWS.

Offshore winds will ease somewhat by Wednesday. Due to the “high probability of widespread single-digit humidity,” it is expected to be a prolonged warning signal, Sunday evening’s warning said.

With the threat of damaging wind gusts, the risk of downed trees and power lines and power outages increases.

Meteorologists warned of dangerous driving conditions and travel delays, particularly on Tuesday morning.

Areas with the strongest winds will likely include the San Gabriel Mountains, the Santa Susana Mountains, the western Santa Monica Mountains into Malibu, the valleys of Ventura County and the western San Fernando Valley, particularly the Highway 118/210 corridor from Porter Ranch to San Fernando.

Forecasters warned that new fire designs could result in “very rapid fire spread” and “extreme fire behavior,” including visibility over long distances.

“As a result, there is an increasing risk that fire weather conditions may rival those of other recent historic fires, including the Mountain and Thomas fires,” the weather service warned.

Southern California utility Edison warned on its website that there could be public safety power shutoffs “to protect communities.”

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