Strong Santa Ana winds bring wildfire danger to Southern California for New Year's Eve

Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times on Dec 30, 2024

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LOS ANGELES — Santa Ana winds are expected to usher in dry wildfire conditions for Southern California on New Year's Eve, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures are forecast to be in the upper 60s and low 70s on Tuesday for the Los Angeles metro area, before cooling off to around 50 degrees by Tuesday night, said NWS meteorologist Ryan Kittell.

"It'll be fairly chilly overnight," he said. "If you're doing anything outside, be sure to bring a jacket."

A red flag warning is in effect for Tuesday and Wednesday for portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to the weather service.

Winds are expected to peak Tuesday into Wednesday, with peak gusts around 30 to 45 mph over the mountains and hills, according to the weather service. Humidity levels are expected to be under 10% in mountain elevations above 4,000 feet, with humidity in the 8% to 20% range in the lower mountain regions.

Santa Ana winds last month helped propel the Mountain fire, which razed 243 buildings and damaged dozens more in Camarillo and other communities in western Ventura County. It was the third most destructive wildfire in Southern California in a decade.

In the next couple of days, strong Santa Ana winds from Malibu blowing toward the Santa Monica Mountains and the San Fernando Valley are expected to bring gusts of 20 to 30 mph, Kittell said. It's not expected to be as windy in Pasadena where the Rose Bowl game and the Rose Parade will take place on New Year's Day.

Kittell warned about the potential for wildfires due to the heavy winds and dry conditions, urging people to be extra careful with anything that could spark a fire.

"Don't light fireworks in areas with a lot of trees and shrubs," he added.