Cooler weather is on the way this weekend, and so are Santa Ana winds
After a brief spell of hot weather this week, temperatures in Southern California are expected to decrease this weekend and should stay that way for the next seven to 10 days, forecasters said.
Saturday may be the coolest day of the period, with temperatures in the 60s as clouds blanket much of Los Angeles County, possibly bringing light drizzle in the morning. Sunny skies are expected to return Sunday, with temperatures ranging from the high 60s to the low 70s.
"It's probably what most people traditionally think of as fall weather," said Ryan Kittell, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard.
But as fall weather in Southern California goes, Kittell reminded that tradition here means dry Santa Ana winds, which are expected to blow in on Sunday evening and into Monday, sapping moisture from the air and elevating fire risk in the valley and mountain areas.
The Santa Anas, which typically blow most aggressively during the fall months, are known to fuel some of California's largest fires as strong, dry gusts blow against brush dried from the summer, sitting as tinder. The Woolsey fire, Los Angeles County's most destructive blaze, fed off Santa Ana winds in the fall of 2018.
Winds on Sunday evening may gust between 30 mph and 45 mph in areas such as the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and San Gabriel valleys and in the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, Kittell said.
Elevated to brief critical fire weather conditions are likely to return on Sunday into Monday. Gusty offshore winds of 30-45 mph are expected through the interior of the typical Santa Ana wind corridor and will lead to rapid drying with minimum humidities of 10-20%. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/GGX8zZMxTw
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) October 20, 2022
Similar dry gusty winds are expected to blow in Northern California this weekend, prompting Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to announce it may shut off power to more than 1,000 customers to lessen the risk of wildfires.
Elsewhere, in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, the Santa Ana winds are expected to be more benign, gusting at speeds of 25 mph to 35 mph, said Adam Roser, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s San Diego office.
Recent storms in the Inland Empire, which forced evacuations for mudslides and debris flow in burn scar areas, are expected to spare the area from any critical fire risks, Roser said.
Once the Santa Anas leave on Tuesday, moisture is expected to return to the air, accompanied by mild temperatures with lows in the 60s and highs in the early 80s, experts said.
"No real chance of even getting close to 90 anywhere through next week," Kittell said.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
