Southern California could be hit by “destructive and life-threatening” storms this week, with forecasters warning of the risk of massive fires and possible power outages, unusual for January.
Wind gusts could intensify Tuesday into Wednesday, reaching 80 mph (129 kph) across much of Los Angeles County and northern Ventura, according to a National Weather Service warning Monday. Winds can exceed 100 mph (100 mph) in hilly and mountainous areas.
“In addition to rapid fire growth and extreme fire behavior, downed trees and power outages are likely,” the Los Angeles Weather Bureau said in a statement. “Areas that don’t normally have strong winds will also be affected.”
The weather service warned of overturning big rigs and campers, dangerous sea conditions off the coast of Los Angeles and Orange counties and the potential for significant delays at local airports. Southern California Edison said public safety power outages are being considered for approximately 300,000 customers across the region. Outages can last several hours or days.
Southern California often receives enough rain to think the wildfire season is over by January, but this year’s rainy season typically started off very dry, leaving the region vulnerable. There is.
Recent devastating fires have left the region dry and exposed to even more danger. Winds hitting dry, tinder-like vegetation can create “extreme fire conditions,” including the footprint of last month’s wind-driven Franklin Fire, which burned mainly homes in and around Malibu. 48 structures were damaged or destroyed. Massive evacuations were taking place in the region, with widely shared videos showing students at a local university evacuating on campus as a fire broke out nearby, with strategic officials saying He said it was safer than navigating the winding canyon road.
The fire was one of about 8,000 wildfires that burned more than 1 million acres (404,600 hectares) in the Golden State last year.
Temperatures in Southern California are warmer than average due to recent dry winds, including the infamous Santa Anas. However, multiple storms are forming in the northern part of the state.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles and the National Center for Atmospheric Research, said the “extreme precipitation disparity” between northern and southern regions is expected to continue throughout the winter.
In an update on his website Saturday, Swain said Northern California’s weather system is also “a series of relatively warm storms, with generally above-average temperatures across much of California in recent weeks.” is maintained,” he wrote.
Southern California hasn’t had more than 0.1 inch (0.25 centimeter) of rain since early May. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of the region is in moderate drought conditions.
Future winds could act as an “atmospheric blow dryer” for vegetation, creating a long-term fire hazard that could extend into populated hillsides and valleys, Swain said in a livestream Monday. mentioned in.
In parts of San Diego County, Swain wrote, this is the driest start to the season in more than 150 years and the driest nine months overall.
In November, wind-driven wildfires tore through rural and residential areas of Ventura County, where warnings are currently in effect, destroying more than 200 structures, including homes and businesses.
California rarely experiences large wildfires this time of year. The state has seen several small fires in January since 2016, but in 2014, a fire east of Los Angeles destroyed several homes, the Los Angeles Times reported. .
This week’s red flag warning for fires is in place until Thursday and could be extended until Friday. Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Rich Thompson told the newspaper that it was unusual for this type of warning to be issued at this time of the season, adding: “Given the widespread nature of the winds we’re predicting, it’s going to be extremely dangerous everywhere.” “This is a high level of concern.” From the mountains to the coast…be prepared in case a fire breaks out during this event. ”
Thompson said there was also concern about the possibility of a “mountain wave” phenomenon, where sudden gusts of wind move down a slope, leading to short periods of very strong winds. In 2011, wind gusts of that nature caused significant damage.
The climate crisis is causing fire seasons to become longer and longer, giving authorities shorter time intervals for mitigation efforts.
