The National Weather Service in San Diego issued an update on the weather conditions for the region, indicating a variation in temperatures and critical fire weather conditions due to gusty northeast Santa Ana winds. Residents in the coastal areas can anticipate highs ranging from 64 to 69 degrees, while inland communities may see highs between 59 to 70 degrees, depending on precise locations. Temperatures in the mountains at 4000 to 7000 feet may only reach 38 to 49 degrees, as per the National Weather Service.
Residents should brace for Monday, as the forecast predicts even lower temperatures. Coastal areas will drop to 39 to 46 degrees, and inland areas will get colder, expecting temperatures as low as the 30s and 20s in the higher elevations and deserts. As reported by NWS San Diego, the gusty Santa Ana winds may result in critical fire weather conditions from Monday through Wednesday, with "Peak wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph expected."
Amid pressing fire concerns, the NWS San Diego further warned of "critical fire weather conditions expected for valleys and the coastal mountain slopes," cautioning that a period of dry conditions accompanied by the notorious Santa Ana winds could exacerbate potential fire risks. Residents in specified areas, encompassing parts of Orange County Inland Areas, the San Bernardino and Riverside Valleys, and other specified districts within the National Forests, face a Red Flag Warning until 6 PM PST Wednesday.
According to the National Weather Service, the humidity could plummet to as low as "10 to 15 percent across much of the coastal basin" by Wednesday, further intensifying the precarious fire conditions. The winds, while showing signs of abating after sunrise this morning, are expected to rally back into another round come Monday, maintaining their destructive potential. With the Santa Ana mountains and portions of inland Orange County witnessing peak gusts up to 65 mph early on, the atmosphere is tense as the region prepares for what might unfold.
