Santa Ana winds bring Red Flag warnings for parts of Southern California
Strong Santa Ana winds are prompting fire concerns Monday, with a Red Flag warning in effect for dangerous fire weather conditions from 10 a.m. Monday to mostly early Wednesday for parts of Southern California.
The critical fire warning comes as the strong Santa Ana winds bring low humidity, falling to 15% to 25% by Monday afternoon. Winds are expected to pick up late Monday and get stronger through the night with peak winds arriving early Tuesday morning, according to KCAL News meteorologist Amber Lee. Wind-prone areas are expected to see gusts between 50 to 55 miles per hour.
A Red Flag warning has been issued for the San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains and the western San Fernando Valley from 10 p.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
In the foothill areas and Malibu coast, a Red Flag warning is in effect from 2 p.m. Monday until 2 p.m. Wednesday.
For the I-5 Corridor and eastern San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley, a Red Flag warning has been issued from 10 a.m. Monday until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The areas most likely to be hardest hit are in the San Gabriel Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu, and from Porter Ranch to San Fernando.
The increased threat of fire weather conditions is similar to conditions when the Mountain Fire burned through Camarillo and Moorpark in Ventura County in November.
When the blaze first sparked, the eastern area of Ventura County where it started had been placed under a severe, relatively rare weather advisory known as a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning, which forecasts the potential for volatile and rapid wildfire growth due to conditions such as powerful winds and extremely low humidity.