Critical Fire Weather for Passes: Dangerous Humidity & Strong Santa Ana Winds Through Wednesday morning

Gusty Santa Ana winds continue , particularly in the mountains and valleys, with peak gusts reaching 50-65 MPH in wind-prone areas like the San Gorgonio Pass and other east to west passes.

We've seen some hurricane force wind gusts in the Banning Pass. Even stronger around San Diego.

About a quarter of Southern California Edison customers live in high-risk fire areas, so prepare for potential outages--part of their preventative "Public Safety Power Shutoff" plan to mitigate the risk for wildfire. They do this as a preventative measure to prevent downed lines from sparking and becoming a source of ignition. Here's a map of who's currently without power.

These winds are expected to gradually weaken overnight and into Wednesday morning as a weak high-pressure system moves into the region. This high pressure will lead to a brief period of calmer weather, although dry air will linger, maintaining fire danger levels across the area.

A Red Flag & Fire Weather Warning, extends into Wednesday morning; especially in our normal windy spots, east/west passes and portions of the high desert.

Right now fire crews are battling a quick growing wildfire, the Franklin Fire, NW of Los Angeles. Here are the latest updates on that fire. Evacuations are occurring for some residents in Malibu. Earlier today we could see smoke and flames from some of the ALERT California fire cameras.

As we move into late Wednesday and Thursday, a trough of low pressure will begin to move closer to Southern California, introducing cooler temperatures along and west of the mountains. The trough will also bring some subtropical moisture, which could result in partly to mostly cloudy skies. However, the winds will decrease, and the Red Flag Warning will expire. By Thursday, onshore flow will strengthen, leading to cooler conditions, especially along the coast.

Locally, expect mild conditions for tonight, with temperatures cooling into the 40s and 50s. Tomorrow will stay warm, with highs in the 70s under mostly sunny skies, although high temps only climb to near seasonal levels. Winds will be lighter, but fire danger is still a risk due to dry conditions.

By Friday, another ridge of high pressure will bring a return to warmer and drier conditions, with minimal chances for rain.