Red flag warning issued for all of the Sacramento Valley. Here’s when and what to expect

Angela Rodriguez
·2 min read

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for areas of the Sacramento Valley and northern Sierra Nevada foothills.

The advisory will be in effect from 11 p.m. Monday through 8 p.m. Wednesday

Areas of concern cover most of the Central Valley — including Redding, Marysville, Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto and Merced — as well as foothill areas including Chico, Auburn, Placerville and Jackson.

Red flag warnings are issued when areas have been dry for a long period of time, the weather service said, the National Fire Danger Rating System shows high to extreme conditions and critical weather conditions are expected within the following 48 hours.

These conditions include winds averaging 15 mph or greater, humidity of 25% or less and temperatures above 75 degrees.

The downtown Sacramento skyline is obscured by smoke from wildfires in Northern California on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. Air quality readings for particulate matter (PM 2.5), the pollutant most closely associated with smoke, was in the “unhealthy” range.
The downtown Sacramento skyline is obscured by smoke from wildfires in Northern California on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. Air quality readings for particulate matter (PM 2.5), the pollutant most closely associated with smoke, was in the “unhealthy” range.

What’s in store for the Sacramento Valley?

On Monday night, areas in the northern Sacramento Valley and Sierra foothills below 3,000 feet can expect winds ranging from 10 to 20 mph.

Gusts could reach up to 30 mph in higher elevation areas. Those conditions will be especially pronounced “along the western half of the Sacramento Valley into the eastern Coast Range,” the weather service said.

Daytime humidity are forecast to be around 7% to 17%.

The weather agency said these conditions could lead to “easier fire starts and potential for rapid spread of fire.”

“Fire safety precautions should be exercised to prevent fires,” the weather agency said. “Always have an emergency plan for if a fire starts near you.”

What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.