High Wind Warnings and Fire Weather Warnings in effect for areas west of the Coachella Valley
Strong Santa Ana winds will be continue through the early afternoon Thursday before weakening considerably in the evening. Gusts could still top 70 mph in the wind prone areas. High wildfire danger remains through this evening.
A High Wind Warning is in effect until 5 pm Thursday for areas just west of the Coachella Valley including Pinyon Pines, Anza, and the Banning Pass. Peak winds are expected mid-morning.
A Fire Weather Warning (Red Flag Warning) is also in effect until 8 pm Thursday for areas west of the Coachella Valley. The strong and gusty winds as well as warm temperatures and very dry conditions will contribute to the rapid spread of wildfires.
The Coachella Valley and the high desert cities are not currently under any warnings.
The full text warnings have been copied below.
High Wind Warning
…STRONG AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING SANTA ANA WINDS TODAY…
.STRONG SANTA ANA WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE
INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH ISOLATED GUSTS OF 55 TO 75 MPH IN THE
MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED
IN THE INLAND VALLEYS. THE WINDS WILL DIMINISH LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
ORANGE 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-
325 AM PDT THU MAY 1 2014
…HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM PDT THIS
AFTERNOON…
* WINDS…NORTHEAST TO EAST WINDS 20 TO 35 MPH IN THE FOOTHILLS
AND VALLEYS WITH GUSTS 35 TO 55 MPH. PEAK GUSTS OF 55 TO 75 MPH
IN THE WIND PRONE MOUNTAIN AND FOOTHILL AREAS.
* TIMING…THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. WINDS WEAKENING
LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
* VISIBILITY…LOCALLY REDUCED TO 3 MILES OR LESS IN BLOWING
DUST. AREAS OF SMOKE REDUCING VISIBILITY AROUND RANCHO CUCAMONGA.
* IMPACTS…DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS. DOWNED TREES…TREE
BRANCHES…PALM FRONDS…AND POWER LINES. UNSECURED OUTDOOR
OBJECTS SUCH AS LAWN AND PATIO FURNITURE MAY BE DAMAGED OR
BLOWN AWAY.
* OUTLOOK…MUCH LIGHTER OFFSHORE WINDS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY
MORNING.
* REPORTS…THIS MORNING THE PEAK WIND GUST AS OF 3 AM WAS 49 MPH
AT SILL HILL. OTHER REPORTS INCLUDE 46 MPH AT HIGHLAND SPRINGS
AND 44 MPH AT PLEASANTS PEAK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED
OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS
OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Red Flag Warning
…RED FLAG WARNING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY THROUGH
THIS EVENING…
.STRONG SANTA ANA WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE
INTO THIS AFTERNOON WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 60 MPH OVER THE FOOTHILLS
AND VALLEYS. WINDS DIMINISH GREATLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT. HUMIDITY WILL STILL BE VERY LOW EXCEPT FOR SOME RECOVERY
NEAR THE COAST.
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE MOUNTAIN TOP AND FRONT COUNTRY RANGER DISTRICTS OF
THE SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE SAN JACINTO RANGER DISTRICT OF THE SAN BERNARDINO
NATIONAL FOREST-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE TRABUCO RANGER DISTRICT OF THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL
FOREST-
329 AM PDT THU MAY 1 2014
…RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY…
A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING.
* WINDS…NORTHEAST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 65 MPH.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…LOWEST DAYTIME AROUND 5 PERCENT WITH POOR
OVERNIGHT RECOVERY.
* TIMING…THIS MORNING…DIMINISHING DURING THE AFTERNOON.
* OUTLOOK…LIGHT WINDS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. HUMIDITY TO BEGIN TO
RECOVER NEAR THE COAST FRIDAY. HIGHER HUMIDITY SPREADING INLAND
DURING THE WEEKEND.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
WILL OCCUR. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY…AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE
BEHAVIOR.
