Gusty Santa Ana Winds Return Triggering a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for Fire Weather West of the Coachella Valley

Gusty northeasterly winds return as Santa Ana winds and extreme fire weather conditions expand southward across southern California.

Monday to Wednesday: Breezy and dry for the valley with seasonal temperatures. Expect areas of strong winds to develop today for our mountain regions, passes and portions of the high desert, continuing through Wednesday afternoon. Winds from the northeast to east will gust between 25 and 35 mph, with the potential for gusts up to 55 mph in our wind prone areas, particularly along and below the coastal mountain slopes. These winds along with very dry conditions, continue our extreme heightened risk of fire. Critical fire weather conditions will persist throughout these next few days, so stay alert.

Thursday to Saturday: Cooler and calmer weather arrives Thursday as onshore flow returns, bringing lighter winds and cooler temperatures. The weekend looks more pleasant with milder highs, but don’t expect a drastic change in temperatures.

Looking ahead there's a very slight chance for light rain will develop over the weekend, mainly affecting areas to the west of the mountains. However, significant precipitation is not expected at this time. It's unlikely we'll see any accumulation here in the Coachella Valley.