Red Flag Warning issued November 4 at 6:48PM PST until November 7 at 12:00PM PST by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT 4 PM TUESDAY UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY
FOR MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO AND SANTA BARBARA
COUNTIES AND SANTA BARBARA SOUTH COAST…
…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT 4 AM WEDNESDAY UNTIL 6 PM THURSDAY
FOR MUCH OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES DUE TO STRONG SANTA
ANA WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES…
…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT 7 AM WEDNESDAY UNTIL NOON THURSDAY
FOR INLAND LA COAST (ESPECIALLY HOLLYWOOD HILLS), OJAI/LAKE
CASITAS, AND CHANNEL ISLANDS/CATALINA ISLAND…
There is increased confidence of a stronger, more widespread, and
longer duration Santa Ana wind event which will likely bring
widespread critical fire weather conditions to many wind prone
areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties Wednesday into
Thursday. This will be a high end Red Flag Warning event with the
combination of strong upper level wind support, tightening
offshore pressure gradients (LAX- Daggett peaking at -6 to –
8 mb), and moderate cold air advection. The strongest winds with
this upcoming Santa Ana wind event are expected to be Wednesday
morning into Wednesday night when widespread damaging wind gusts
of 60 to 80 mph are likely in the mountains and foothills of Los
Angeles and Ventura counties (including the Santa Monicas and
Santa Susanas), with isolated gusts of 80 to 100 mph possible in
favored areas of the San Gabriels. For wind prone coastal and
valley areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, damaging gusts
of 50 to 70 mph will be likely (including the Malibu coast and
Ventura county coastal plain). Due to the strong upper level wind
support, typical wind sheltered areas such as portions of the LA
basin (mainly Hollywood Hills), Lake Casitas and Ojai, as well as
the Channel Islands and Catalina Island are expected to see gusty
north to northeast winds with associated Red Flag fire weather
concerns. Humidity levels are also expected to lower to between
8 to 15 percent by Wednesday afternoon with these low humidities
likely to linger into Thursday.
In addition, there will be gusty north to northeast winds
overlapping with humidities around 15 to 20 percent late Tuesday
afternoon into Tuesday night across the mountains and foothills
of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, as well as the
Santa Ynez mountains, Santa Barbara south coast, and Highway
33 corridor. These areas are now under a Red Flag Warning for
late Tuesday into Tuesday night, with gusts of 35 to 55 mph being
common, except isolated gusts up to 60 mph.
This is a dangerous fire weather event. Any new fires in the Red
Flag Warning area will have rapid fire spread, extreme fire
behavior, and long range spotting.
* WINDS…Northeast 15 to 30 mph with gusts 35 to 50 mph.
Strongest across higher terrain.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…Lowering to 8 to 15 percent by Wednesday
afternoon and lingering into Thursday.
* IMPACTS…If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable
for rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior which would
threaten life and property.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. Use extreme caution
with anything that can spark a wildfire. Residents near wildland
interfaces should be prepared to evacuate if a wildfire breaks
out. See readyforwildfire.org and wildfirerisk.org for
information.
