Dangerous Santa Ana Winds Finally Ease Across Southland

LOS ANGELES,CA — Much of Los Angeles County again coped with red flag critical fire conditions Thursday as a powerful and "particularly dangerous" Santa Ana wind event combined with low humidity to raise the risk of wildfires, but the winds backed off by evening, leading to most warnings being lifted.

"Offshore flow continues to weaken through the evening as the region begins to return to more typical diurnal wind patterns," according to the National Weather Service. "Still some lingering gusty northeast winds across parts of LA/Ventura Counties, some of which will continue into the overnight hours and through the Saturday morning, though generally much lighter with peak gusts between 20 and 30 mph. Strongest winds will be over the higher ridgetops."

Winds battered much of the region Wednesday, with the National Weather Service reporting peak gusts in the mountains reaching 75 to 85 mph, and 45 to 65 mph at lower elevations. The wind speeds tapered off as evening fell Wednesday, although gusts still reached up to 60 mph in the mountains.

The winds picked up speed again Thursday morning, although falling slightly short of Wednesday's levels.

Humidity also remained low. Forecasters said humidity would rise slightly aver the next few days, but still remain mostly below 30% into the weekend in areas away from the coast.

By Friday, "winds in most areas will return to typical onshore breezes mostly under 15 mph," according to the NWS.

Red flag warnings of critical fire conditions expired at 6 p.m. Thursday at Los Angeles County beaches, the Palos Verdes Hills, the Malibu Coast, Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, the L.A. County inland coast including downtown, the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, Calabasas and Agoura Hills.

But a red flag warning will remain in place until 11 a.m. Friday for the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors and the San Gabriel Mountains.

A red flag warning for Orange County coastal and inland areas and the Santa Ana Mountains also expired at 6 p.m.

Due to the winds, the California Highway Patrol closed Topanga Canyon Boulevard to non-residents between Mulholland Drive and Pacific Coast Highway early Wednesday morning and planned to keep it closed until 6 a.m. Friday, but with winds easing, the road was reopened Thursday afternoon.

As is typical with Santa Ana wind events, Southern California Edison officials warned that some residents may be subjected to "Public Safety Power Shutoffs," in which electricity is cut to some areas experiencing particularly high winds to reduce the possibility of fires being sparked by damaged equipment.

Power was cut to more than 16,300 SCE customers as of Thursday evening in Los Angeles County, and nearly 4,000 in Orange County, according to the utility's website.

City News Service