The National Weather Service San Diego has warned about a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" due to Southern California's strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity levels. According to the NWS San Diego, winds are blasting through the region at 40-60 mph speeds and gusts hitting 60-70 mph in the Santa Ana mountains. In Orange and southwestern San Bernardino counties, gusts have already exceeded 70 mph, potentially reaching a devastating 90 to 100 mph.
With relative humidity values plunging to a desiccating 10-15%, there is significant concern for wind damage in some areas. The NWS San Diego reports that the San Diego County mountains and inland valleys experienced gusts between 60 to 70 mph early this morning, with isolated gusts up to 80 mph. It's anticipated that the intensity of the winds will decrease into the afternoon.
Although a brief respite may be on the horizon this afternoon, another round of potent winds is expected. "Another round of relatively stronger winds is possible for Thursday night into Friday morning," the NWS San Diego detailed. The San Diego County mountains and inland valleys, already buffeted by today’s gales, are especially vulnerable to the anticipated conditions. Peak gusts during this period may range from 40 to 60 mph, with the possibility of gusts soaring up to 70 mph in the coastal foothills of the San Diego County mountains.
Today, inland temperatures spiked to 5 to 10 degrees above average for coastal areas, while mountain areas registered 5 to 10 degrees below the norm. In contrast, the high desert temperatures hovered in the mid-50s. The low humidity and fierce winds have raised the alarm for a very high fire danger, and these conditions are expected to persist, potentially exacerbating California's already precarious fire situation.
As if the winds and dry air weren't concern enough, the rainfall record for San Diego does not augur well for the drought conditions. "With no rainfall expected today for San Diego, this will be the driest start ever to the July 1st to June 30th California rainfall year and for the October 1st to September 30th water year for San Diego," the Area Forecast Discussion noted. The current totals—0.14 inch since October 1 and 0.16 inch since July 1, are unprecedented in a record spanning back to 1850.
