Headline:
Red Flag Warning issued January 6 at 11:55AM PST until January 9 at 6:00PM PST by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Event:
Red Flag Warning
Urgency:
Expected
Effective:
January 6, 2025 - 11:55am
Expires:
January 6, 2025 - 8:00pm
Description:
...LIFE THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, WIDESPREAD WINDSTORM TUESDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR PORTIONS OF LOS ANGELES AND
EASTERN VENTURA COUNTIES-- WITH LONG DURATION OF RED FLAG
CONDITIONS INTO THURSDAY-- POSSIBLY EXTENDING INTO FRIDAY...
...RED FLAG WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND MUCH OF
VENTURA COUNTY---SEE TIMINGS IN HEADLINES BELOW...
...RED FLAG WARNING ISSUED FOR SANTA BARBARA MOUNTAINS INCLUDING
EASTERN SANTA YNEZ RANGE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...
.Offshore winds are now expected to develop rapidly early Tuesday
morning, leading to an earlier start time of the Red Flag Warning
for many areas. Confidence is high for a life threatening,
destructive, widespread windstorm with dangerous fire weather
conditions Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning,
especially focused on the San Gabriel mountains and foothills,
San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Hollywood/Beverly Hills,
coastal areas adjacent to the Sepulveda Pass, Simi Valley, and
Santa Monica mountains into Malibu. Strong mountain wave wind
activity will likely impact many of these areas, resulting in very
strong, erratic, and damaging wind gusts, capable of widespread
downed trees/powerlines, as well as widespread power outages. This
windstorm will likely be as destructive as the 2011 windstorm
that impacted Pasadena and nearby San Gabriel Valley foothills.
While the longer duration of strong winds is expected to be
focused across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, there is now
expected to be a shorter duration of Red Flag conditions across
the mountains of Santa Barbara county Tuesday into Wednesday.
Long duration Red Flag Warnings are in effect for much of Los
Angeles and Ventura counties Tuesday through Thursday, with Fire
Weather Watches in effect Thursday night into Friday. This is
a high end Red Flag event. Any new fires will have a high risk
for very rapid fire spread and large fire growth, extreme fire
behavior, and long range spotting.
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard has issued a
Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in
effect from 10 AM Tuesday to 6 PM PST Thursday.
* WINDS...Northeast 20 to 35 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph across
the coast, and 25 to 45 mph with gusts to 70 mph in the northern
Ventura mountains. Strongest winds Tuesday into Wednesday, with
moderate offshore winds persisting into Thursday, and possibly
Friday. For the coastal plain, strongest winds likely focused
from Camarillo to Point Mugu.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Falling to between 15 and 25 percent on
Tuesday, then 10 to 20 percent on Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable for
very rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, including long
range spotting, which would threaten life and property. There
will be the potential for downed trees and powerlines, as well
as power outages.
Instruction:
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.
Area Description:
Ventura County Beaches; Ventura County Inland Coast; Northern Ventura County Mountains
Forcast Office:
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA