Gusty northeast to east Santa Ana winds will continue this near coastal slopes of the mountains with winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 55 mph and isolated gusts to 65 mph. The winds will gradually diminish this afternoon and evening. Lowest humidity will fall to around 10 percent today for inland areas. Light winds but remaining dry with low humidity on Thursday. An upper level low pressure system will track across northern Baja and the Mexico border during Thursday night and Friday. This will bring some clouds, build cooler marine air that spreads inland and also bring gusty west winds to the desert slopes on Friday. Starting Sunday night and increasing on Tuesday, a new Santa Ana wind is expected through Wednesday.
For extreme southwestern California including Orange, San Diego, western Riverside and southwestern San Bernardino counties,
Pressure gradient of 15 mb from Salt Lake to San Diego for moderate offshore flow from the 1040 mb surface high over SLC. Santa Ana winds are peaking this morning with wind prone areas gusting 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 50 mph. The windiest locations in the Cajon Pass and San Diego mountains have hit 60 to 70 mph. Wind will gradually decrease this afternoon but humidity levels will be very low in addition to milder temperatures. The big change is on Thursday when very light winds all areas but continued low relative humidity due to the dry air in place. The old closed upper low that is spinning offshore in the east Pacific will finally get a push onshore and track across the Mexico border and northern Baja on Friday. This results in increased gusty west onshore winds on the desert slopes, quickly deepening marine layer and cooler air spreading inland to the foothills and also some mid level clouds. Any precipitation would be an isolated shower near the remnant upper low center that track on the Mexico border and possibly patchy marine drizzle.
The weekend looks benign with a wave crossing the Great Basin but well to the east on Saturday. The return to a Santa Ana wind pattern starting Sunday night, when a series of short waves drive across the Great Basin, behind an arctic blast for the eastern US and 1035 to 1045 mb surface high builds across Utah on Monday and Tuesday. Consensus is for a moderate offshore Santa Ana wind event peaking Tuesday into Wednesday morning. The stronger short wave trough is possible that time period digging into Arizona with a cold air push across Socal.
151600z, Clear skies will continue today and tonight. Areas of E/NE winds with gusts 20-35 kt, locally to 45 kt, will continue mainly in the foothills, parts of the northern Inland Empire, and inland Orange County, strongest 15-23Z then weakening and becoming more isolated in nature. There will be pockets of LLWS and locally moderate to strong up/downdrafts. Calm winds overnight, then average sea breezes for Thursday afternoon.
No hazardous marine conditions are expected through Sunday.
Ca, Red Flag Warning until 6 PM PST this evening for Orange County Inland Areas-Riverside County Mountains-Including The San Jacinto Ranger District Of The San Bernardino National Forest-San Bernardino County Mountains-Including The Mountain Top And Front Country Ranger Districts Of The San Bernardino National Forest-San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys -The Inland Empire-San Diego County Inland Valleys-San Diego County Mountains-Including The Palomar And Descanso Ranger Districts of the Cleveland National Forest-San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning-Santa Ana Mountains- Including The Trabuco Ranger District of the Cleveland National Forest.
Wind Advisory until 6 PM PST this evening for Orange County Inland Areas-Riverside County Mountains-San Bernardino County Mountains-San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire-San Diego County Mountains-San Diego County Valleys-San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning-Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills.
PZ, None.
