San Diegans are bracing for another day of dangerous fire weather conditions, with the National Weather Service in San Diego issuing a Red Flag Warning until 4 AM PST Wednesday for several parts of the region, including the Inland Empire, inland Orange County, and San Diego County Valleys. According to a release from NWS San Diego, gusty northeast to east winds are expected to peak in strength this morning before diminishing into Wednesday. Mountain foothills and passes are predicted to combat the brunt of these winds, with gusts ranging from 50 to 65 mph and isolated gusts up to 70 mph in wind-prone areas.
Falling humidity values are another key concern. The NWS reports relative humidity for inland areas may drop as low as 5 to 10 percent today, exacerbating the fire risk alongside poor overnight recovery. As released by the NWS San Diego, even though Wednesday will see lighter winds, the humidity is expected to remain alarmingly low, falling again to 5 to 15 percent in the afternoon. With the marine layer potentially intervening Thursday into Friday, humidity levels could see some recovery.
Regarding temperatures, forecast highs for today range from the 60s along the coast up into the 70s in inland valleys and Orange County. The mountain regions and desert locations can expect cooler temperatures, with 4000 to 7000 ft elevations seeing highs between 44 and 53 degrees. A few degrees of cooling are anticipated for Thursday and Friday, with a slight warm-up projected over the weekend into early next week.
These easterly winds also influence marine conditions. However, as stated in the forecast discussion by the NWS, no hazardous marine weather conditions are anticipated through Saturday. Off the coast, occasional easterly gusts may reach up to 20 knots but will likely decrease this afternoon. Aviation will continue to see clear skies yet must navigate the impact of northeast to east winds, outlined by NWS to peak this morning, with potential visibility reductions due to blowing dust and strong up/downdrafts over and southwest of the mountains and foothills. Winds are anticipated to diminish later this evening, but local gusts up to 30 kts may persist into Wednesday morning.
The critical fire weather conditions have prompted calls for vigilance, with weather spotters encouraged by the NWS to report significant conditions, although Skywarn has not been activated. Residents in affected areas are advised to stay informed and ready to act should the situation worsen. Forecasts continue to evolve, and the community remains on high alert amidst the confluence of dry, windy weather that could spell serious trouble should ignition occur.
