First, keep an eye on Santa Anse weather and fires. Then prepare for rain
Santa Ana winds will sweep through Southern California on Wednesday and Thursday, increasing the risk of wildfires, according to a forecast from the National Weather Service, which has issued a fire weather warning.
Meanwhile, meteorologists are predicting a dramatic change in the weather starting next week as the first storms of the rainy season head to Southern California.
But this week is expected to be dry and windy. A wind advisory has been issued for most of Ventura, Orange and Los Angeles counties through Thursday morning, with winds expected between 30 and 50 mph.
Relative humidity on Thursday is expected to drop into the single and low double digits, which, along with accompanying Santa Ana winds, has prompted the agency to issue a fire weather warning from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday.
Winds “generally … will be stronger during the morning hours,” said Lisa Phillips, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office.
The potential for fire weather means the public is advised to be careful with potential fire sources, including barbecues, power tools and other outdoor objects that can cause sparks.
Due to the wildfire threat posed by the weather on Wednesday and Thursday, Southern California Edison is considering public safety power outages for thousands of households across the region. The facility said 68,434 customers were under consideration for closures, including 20,971 in Los Angeles County, 16,311 in Ventura County, 13,771 in San Bernardino County, 12,790 in Riverside County and 4,591 in Orange County.
A map of the areas under consideration for closures can be found on Southern California Edison’s website.
The winds are expected to calm down on Thursday, and the weather is expected to be rainy by next week.
Although the forecast is too early to say when or how much rain will hit the area, the National Weather Service says there is a 90% chance of rain between next Tuesday and Friday, including a 60% chance there. There will be at least an inch of rain.
“Just plan on rain,” Phillips said.
