Another day of gusty winds is forecast Wednesday for Southern California, where a rare “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning continues until 3 p.m. for western Los Angeles County and most of Ventura County.
An ABC News graphic shows the weather conditions in Southern California on Jan. 15, 2024.
ABC News
An ABC News graphic shows fire forecast in Southern California on Jan. 15, 2024.
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On Wednesday morning and afternoon, winds will be the strongest west and north of Los Angeles, mostly in the mountains and higher canyons, where gusts could reach 50 mph to 70 mph.
In addition to gusty winds, relative humidity will be very low, down to 8%.
An ABC News graphic shows the wind forecast in Southern California on Jan. 15, 2024.
ABC News
Such weather conditions are expected to create a perfect setup for explosive fire growth if a new fire is started.
But the wind should begin to relax later Wednesday and by Thursday humidity is forecast to increase and there is even a chance for a few sprinkles for southern California.
An ABC News graphic from Jan. 15, 2024 shows the Thursday forecast for relative humidity in Southern California.
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More strong Santa Ana winds are forecast next week on Wednesday through Saturday, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration giving it a 40% to 60% chance.
Due to La Nina conditions in the Pacific Ocean, the jet stream is buckled to the north and all the rain storms are being steered away from southern California.
An ABC News graphic shows a weather pattern explainer in the U.S. on Jan. 15, 2024.
ABC News
The outlook for the next three months shows drier-than-normal conditions close to southern California.
An ABC News graphic shows the NOAA precipitation outlook in the U.S. on Jan. 15, 2024.
ABC News