Dry Santa Ana Winds To Increase Fire Danger In RivCo Next Week

RIVERSIDE, CA — Fire danger will be elevated in the Inland Empire next week as powerful dry Santa Ana winds arrive in the area.

A fire weather watch will take effect at 10 a.m. Monday morning and last through 4 a.m. Wednesday as strong, gusty winds with low humidity are expected to pummel the area, the National Weather Service reported.

Northeast and east winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected with gusts in the valleys reaching 25 to 40 mph. Winds could get up to 60 mph in the mountain areas, forecasters said.

NWS forecasters warned that any fires that spark are likely to spread rapidly. Outdoor burning of any kind is not recommended and officials are urging people to be aware of difficult driving conditions. Outdoor property could also be damaged, NWS said.

"Very dry air with this system has led to the issuance of a Fire Weather Watch for all mountain areas, the Inland Empire and San Diego County valleys," according to a National Weather Service statement. "Please be mindful of any fire hazards and secure outdoor property."

In Riverside, high temperatures will persist through the weekend and will top out in the upper 70s. Overnight lows will fall into the mid-40s. Monday to Wednesday, the highs will barely climb into the 70s, with no change in lows.

In the desert areas, temperatures will be slightly higher than in Riverside. During the gusty Santa Ana winds, highs will reach the mid-70s, with nighttime lows in the low 50s.

In Murrieta, Monday will see a high of near 70, with a low of around 39.