Santa Ana winds that pounded parts of the Southland since Saturday began slowly diminishing Tuesday, allowing red flag warnings of critical fire danger to expire in mountain and valley areas, but forecasters said heightened fire conditions will continue for a few more days.
“While elevated fire weather conditions will continue through Friday due to the very dry air remaining in place, conditions will not be extreme enough to warrant an extension of the Red Flag Warning,” the National Weather Service declared early Tuesday afternoon.
The red flag warning expired at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Santa Clarita Valley, western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, Calabasas, the San Gabriel Mountains and the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) Freeway corridors.
Red flag warnings expired Monday night in the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys and the Malibu coast.
“Northeast winds will continue to lower, with gusts of 15 to 30 mph expected tonight into Wednesday over Los Angeles and Ventura Counties,” according to the NWS. “Beyond that, gusts should stay below 20 mph through Friday. Meanwhile, humidities will bottom out each day to below 10 percent, except for slightly higher readings over coastal areas. As a result, elevated fire weather conditions will persist through Friday, with locally brief critical conditions where the winds are highest.”
A wind advisory that had been in place for much of the Southland also expired Tuesday afternoon.
In the Antelope Valley, a freeze warning will be in effect from 3 to 8 a.m. Wednesday, with temperatures potentially dropping as low as 27 degrees, forecasters said.
Southern California Edison officials had implemented some Public Safety Power Shutoffs during the wind event, cutting power in areas being battered by heavy winds that could damage electrical lines or equipment and spark wildfires.
But as of Tuesday afternoon, only 35 customers in Los Angeles County were affected by the power cuts.