Red Flag Warning issued November 5 at 11:33AM PST until November 7 at 7:00AM PST by NWS San Francisco CA
…RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR
THE BAY AREA AND CENTRAL COAST AS STRONG OFFSHORE WINDS AND
CRITICALLY DRY CONDITIONS DEVELOP…
.Strong offshore winds are increasing across the higher elevations
of the Bay Area and Central Coast with strong winds becoming more
widespread across the lower elevations this afternoon. North to
northeasterly wind gusts will average between 25 and 50 mph,
particularly across the higher terrain of the Santa Cruz
Mountains, East Bay Hills, North Bay Mountains, as well as
interior portions of Napa and Sonoma counties. In particular,
these areas of Napa and Sonoma counties have an increased
likelihood of wind gusts between 60 to 70 mph starting late
Tuesday and continuing through the day on Wednesday. Afternoon
humidity values will range between the single digits and 25
percent. Overnight humidity recovery will be poor with readings
between 20 and 45 percent. The combination of the aforementioned
winds and humidity will translate to fires exhibiting a large
resistance to control and thereby creating a hazardous and extreme
wildfire environment. Fire crews and residents are urged to
remain abreast of the weather forecast over the next couple of
days.
* AFFECTED AREA…Fire Weather Zone 006 San Francisco, Fire
Weather Zone 502 Marin Coastal Range, Fire Weather Zone 503
Sonoma Coastal Range, Fire Weather Zone 504 North Bay Interior
Mountains, Fire Weather Zone 506 North Bay Interior Valleys,
Fire Weather Zone 508 San Francisco Bay Shoreline, Fire
Weather Zone 509 San Francisco Peninsula Coast, Fire Weather
Zone 510 East Bay Interior Valleys, Fire Weather Zone 512
Santa Cruz Mountains, Fire Weather Zone 513 Santa Clara Valley
Including San Jose, Fire Weather Zone 514 Eastern Santa Clara
Hills, Fire Weather Zone 515 East Bay Hills, Fire Weather Zone
517 Santa Lucia Mountains and Los Padres National Forest, Fire
Weather Zone 518 Mountains of San Benito County And Interior
Monterey County including Pinnacles National Park and Fire
Weather Zone 529 Northern Monterey Bay.
* TIMING…11 AM Tuesday until 7 AM Thursday.
* WINDS…North 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. Across the
North Bay Interior Mountains, gusts up to 60 to 70 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…Between 5 to 25 percent.
* LIGHTNING…None anticipated.
* IMPACTS…Despite recent rainfall, a long duration offshore
flow event is anticipated. This will result in the rapid
curing of fuels. The combination of strong winds and low
humidity will cause fire to rapidly grow in size and
intensity. Outdoor burning is not recommended and may be
prohibited in some areas.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now…or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds…and low relative humidity can contribute to
extreme fire behavior.
