Wind gusts as strong as 80 mph, equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane, could tear through Los Angeles and San Diego in southern California on Thursday, as wildfires continue to rage in the Golden State.
Why It Matters
Earlier this month, two significant wildfires ignited in Los Angeles and quickly grew to encompass thousands of acres. Firefighters are still battling those two blazes, named the Palisades and Eaton fires.
At least 27 people have died in the Los Angeles area because of the fires, and thousands of people have fled their homes.
Meanwhile, the Hughes Fire ignited in Los Angeles County on Wednesday and quickly exploded to more than 10,000 acres. Multiple other wildfires are burning in San Diego County.
What to Know
As of Thursday morning, red flag warnings and high wind warnings had been issued across Los Angeles and San Diego counties. The warnings come as firefighters try to contain the blazes, which are spurred by the strong winds.
The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Los Angeles issued a high wind warning in the early morning hours on Thursday. It will remain in effect until 2 p.m. local time for the Eastern San Gabriel Mountains, Interstate 5 Corridor, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Susana Mountains, Southern Ventura County Mountains, Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor, and Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area.
Winds are blowing northeast at 35 to 50 mph, with gusts expected to hit up to 65 mph, equivalent to a tropical storm. The NWS office warned that some isolated gusts could hit 80 mph in mountainous locations.
NWS meteorologists issued the high warning for San Diego County around the same time. It will remain in effect until 6 p.m. local time Thursday evening.
The areas included in that warning are the Orange County Inland Areas, Riverside County Mountains, San Bernardino County Mountains, San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, San Diego County Mountains, San Diego County Valleys, San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, and Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills.
Northeast winds are likely to blow between 35 and 45 mph, with gusts up to 70 mph. Some isolated gusts could hit 80 mph for the San Diego County mountains. The strongest winds will hit from sunrise into the afternoon.
Both NWS offices also issued a red flag warning for their forecast regions, warning of critical fire conditions amid the strong winds and low humidity. The red flag warnings were extended until 10 a.m. local time on Friday morning.
What People Are Saying
NWS Los Angeles in a red flag warning: "Dangerous fire weather conditions will persist through Friday as fuels remain extremely dry fuels and ready to burn, with Thursday the period of greatest concern. Any fire that starts can grow fast and out of control."
NWS San Diego in a high wind warning: "Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Power outages are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles."
What Happens Next
Winds are expected to die down on Friday. NWS meteorologist Adam Roser told Newsweek that following the winds, this weekend will bring some much-needed moisture to southern California in the form of rain and mountain snow, which could help eliminate the dry fuels.
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About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more