Due to exceedingly uncommon and catastrophic fire weather conditions, as well as Santa Ana winds that might reach 65 mph, red flag warnings have been issued for Southern California.
According to the Los Angeles National Weather Service office, red flag warnings are in effect for the San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Ventura County beaches and valleys, and western San Fernando Valley from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time on Monday.
Due to Santa Ana winds, low humidity, and exceptionally dry vegetation, a red flag warning for a “particularly dangerous situation” is also in effect in those same areas from 10 p.m. on Monday until 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Ventura and Los Angeles counties are affected by the warning.
Since this warning is rarely given, there is a significant chance of “extreme fire behavior and very rapid growth.”
Santa Ana winds, which are more frequent from September to May, are created when air moves westward toward low pressure areas along the coast of California from a region of high pressure over the arid desert.
Damage-causing wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph and single-digit humidity levels are expected in windier mountains and foothills under the PDS red flag warning.
Gusts of 40 to 65 mph are predicted for the majority of Los Angeles and Ventura counties’ wind-prone coastal and valley regions.
According to the NWS, Santa Ana winds are expected to peak Monday night into Tuesday and increase late Monday morning into the afternoon.
By Wednesday, offshore winds will slightly lessen. Given the high probability of widespread single-digit humidities, the Sunday evening alert stated that it is anticipated to be a long-lasting red flag event.
There will be a higher chance of power outages and fell trees and electrical lines due to the possibility of destructive wind gusts.
Travel delays and dangerous driving conditions are to be expected, especially on Tuesday morning, according to forecasters.
The western Santa Monica Mountains into Malibu, the Ventura County valleys, the San Gabriel Mountains, the Santa Susana Mountains, and the western San Fernando Valley—especially the Highway 118/210 corridors from Porter Ranch to San Fernando—will probably have some of the strongest winds.
The possibility of “extreme fire behavior,” including long-range spotting, and “very rapid fire spread” for new fire ignitions was cautioned by forecasters.
“As a result, there is the increasing threat for fire weather conditions to rival other historical fires in recent times including the Mountain and Thomas Fires,” the National Weather Service stated.
Utility provider Southern California Edison issued a warning on its website that power shut-offs for public safety may occur in order to safeguard neighborhoods.
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