Santa Ana Winds and Fire Weather Criteria in Southern CA

[weatherlover427]

Right now we have an offshore flow here in southern California. It is breezy in my area, while other areas have higher winds. This wind event is expected to increase through tomorrow, so we have both wind advisories and a red flag warning out through at least tomorrow afternoon due to the high winds and low humidities. What sucks is that we have had little rain this winter so far; but areas to our north (San Fran for example) have had plenty. I will update through the night as needed.

[weatherlover427]

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA

1150 AM PST MON DEC 15 2003

CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-161400-
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
APPLE AND YUCCA VALLEYS-
COACHELLA VALLEY-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS-
1150 AM PST MON DEC 15 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR
EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA.

.DAY ONE... TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR ALL MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS THE INLAND EMPIRE AND ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL PLAINS.

REFER TO LAXNPWSGX WWUS76 KSGX FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR 8 AM TUESDAY TO 8 PM TUESDAY FOR STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES.

REFER TO LAXRFWSGX WWUS86 KSGX FOR DETAILS.

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TUESDAY FOR ALL MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS THE INLAND EMPIRE AND ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL PLAINS.

REFER TO LAXNPWSGX WWUS76 KSGX FOR DETAILS.

WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

SMALL/HORTON


WWUS76 KSGX 160158
NPWSGX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA

600 PM PST MON DEC 15 2003

...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS...SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS...THE SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS...AND FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA...

.STRONG SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IS BUILDING OVER THE GREAT BASIN AND WILL BRING WEAK TO MODERATE SANTA ANA WINDS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. WINDS WILL MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. THE HIGHWAYS IMPACTED WILL BE INTERSTATE 8 THROUGH THE SAN DIEGO MOUNTAINS...INTERSTATE 15 THROUGH THE CAJON PASS AND THE INLAND EMPIRE...INTERSTATE 10 AND HIGHWAY 60 IN THE INLAND EMPIRE AND HIGHWAY 91 IN THE INLAND EMPIRE AND THROUGH THE SANTA ANA CANYON IN ORANGE COUNTY.

CAZ042-160800-
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
600 PM PST MON DEC 15 2003

...WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM TUESDAY...

FOR LOCAL NORTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH ESPECIALLY THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS.

Doesn't look too bad rignt now, then again it's only 11:46 PM.

[weatherlover427]

Never got really windy here, just 20-25 MPH tops. Some areas saw gusts of up to 65 MPH; hence the high wind warnings.