Gusty winds to heighten wildfire danger in western US following blistering heat wave
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Sep 4, 2020 4:48 PM EDT
Following blistering heat during the Labor Day weekend, gusty winds may lead to very dangerous wildfire conditions in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada this week.
Extreme caution will be required when using outdoor power equipment and open flames through the week as any wildfires that are ongoing or develop may be extremely difficult to contain with the anticipated weather conditions.
Through Monday, many areas west of the Rockies will challenge daily record highs.
Heat-related advisories and warnings were in effect for a large part of the West, including California as of early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. Excessive heat warnings are shown as a violet color. (AccuWeather/NOAA)
Temperatures are forecast to top 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Los Angeles on Sunday, which can tie or break record highs for the date. The daily record of 102 for Sunday, Sept. 6, was last established in 1955.
Highs at or above 100 are forecast for Sacramento, California, through Tuesday, and records that were set as far back as 1923 will be challenged. Temperatures will surge well into the 80s in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, during the same time frame.
"There is the potential for temperatures to climb as high as 115-118 in the real hot spots of Southern California on Sunday," according to AccuWeather's western expert, Ken Clark.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"All-time record highs could be set in parts of Southern California on Sunday," Clark added.
Some of the highest temperatures ever recorded in Southern California are 116 in Riverside, set on July 28, 1934; 115 in Lancaster, set on June 30, 2013; and 113 in downtown Los Angeles set on Sept. 27, 2010.
On Saturday, Burbank tied its all-time record high for any date as the mercury soared to 114. Van Nuys and Palmdale, along with Burbank, also set new high temperature records for any day during the month of September.
The combination of sunshine, temperature and other conditions will push AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures several degrees higher than the actual temperature during the daylight hours.
These conditions will make strenuous outdoor activities very dangerous during this heat wave. If possible, such activities should be avoided.
As if the heat was not bad enough, Mother Nature will throw gusty winds into the mix this week.
An area of high pressure is forecast to build over the interior western U.S. While this high pressure system will push colder air and September snow southward across the Rockies and High Plains, its main effect will be to generate gusty winds over the Great Basin and along the Pacific Coast states. Even though some cooler air will accompany the wind, it will not be enough to avoid a substantial increase in wildfire ignition and rapid spread.
The strongest winds will spread from north to south across the West and will generally blow from the east or northeast.
The windiest conditions are likely in the Northwest from Monday to Tuesday and then in the Southwest, including Southern California, from Tuesday to Wednesday.
While winds may not get as strong as traditional Santa Ana or Diablo events, they could still cause major problems. The potential exists for dangerous fast-moving wildfires (firestorms) this week due to ongoing dryness and drought conditions.
"Some of the strongest wind gusts could reach 60-70 mph," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda. "However, even if these gusts are not realized, even 30- to 50-mph wind gusts can cause fires to move rapidly," he added.
The gusty winds anticipated by AccuWeather can not only cause erratic wildfire behavior and extreme difficulty for containment but also could bring down trees and power lines, which can cause sparks and cause more fires to ignite.
Huntington Lake in Fresno County in California was under an evacuation order on Saturday due to the fast-spreading Creek Fire.
In lieu of fires, the strong winds anticipated can cause trouble for high-profile vehicles traveling on north-south-orientated routes.
"Localized wind currents through the canyons and passes and on bridges can develop suddenly and be troublesome for trucks and trailers," Sojda said.
California is not the only place of concern for high winds and fire danger. Strong winds can occur over much of the western third of the nation.
"Portland, Oregon, will be at risk for strong easterly winds that funnel through the Columbia Gorge from Monday afternoon to Tuesday," Sojda said.
Winds could get strong enough to cause wind damage and power outages in the Portland area as a result.
The National Weather Service in Portland has gone as far to say the wind event could be "historic" and "fire weather concerns abound."
"Offshore winds [forecast by computer models] tend to occur less than once every 30 years, based on 1979-2009 climatology. In other words, it never occurred during that period," the Portland NWS office discussion issued on Friday morning stated.
The weather pattern may bring a second surge of heat later this week.
After a cooldown with temperatures trending 5-20 degrees lower during the first part of the week as a piece of the chilly air filters westward and southward, temperatures are likely to rebound to very high levels at midweek.
"While it won't get as hot as the heat wave from this weekend, temperatures will trend upward once again during the middle to latter part of the week over much of the Pacific Coast states," Clark said.
The combination of a hot, dry summer and a lackluster monsoon season has set the stage for searing heat this weekend and rough fire weather conditions going into the autumn. Additional episodes of strong winds and elevated fire danger are likely to be ongoing.
It is possible that utility companies may need to cut power to reduce the risk of lines coming down and causing sparks. That means that some areas may be without air conditioning in the heat this week.
Motorists should avoid parking their vehicle on high brush as heat from the exhaust system, combined with strong winds, could quickly cause a fire to develop and spread rapidly.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Severe Weather
Gusty winds to heighten wildfire danger in western US following blistering heat wave
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Sep 4, 2020 4:48 PM EDT
Following blistering heat during the Labor Day weekend, gusty winds may lead to very dangerous wildfire conditions in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada this week.
Extreme caution will be required when using outdoor power equipment and open flames through the week as any wildfires that are ongoing or develop may be extremely difficult to contain with the anticipated weather conditions.
Through Monday, many areas west of the Rockies will challenge daily record highs.
Heat-related advisories and warnings were in effect for a large part of the West, including California as of early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. Excessive heat warnings are shown as a violet color. (AccuWeather/NOAA)
Temperatures are forecast to top 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Los Angeles on Sunday, which can tie or break record highs for the date. The daily record of 102 for Sunday, Sept. 6, was last established in 1955.
Highs at or above 100 are forecast for Sacramento, California, through Tuesday, and records that were set as far back as 1923 will be challenged. Temperatures will surge well into the 80s in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, during the same time frame.
"There is the potential for temperatures to climb as high as 115-118 in the real hot spots of Southern California on Sunday," according to AccuWeather's western expert, Ken Clark.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"All-time record highs could be set in parts of Southern California on Sunday," Clark added.
Some of the highest temperatures ever recorded in Southern California are 116 in Riverside, set on July 28, 1934; 115 in Lancaster, set on June 30, 2013; and 113 in downtown Los Angeles set on Sept. 27, 2010.
On Saturday, Burbank tied its all-time record high for any date as the mercury soared to 114. Van Nuys and Palmdale, along with Burbank, also set new high temperature records for any day during the month of September.
The combination of sunshine, temperature and other conditions will push AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures several degrees higher than the actual temperature during the daylight hours.
These conditions will make strenuous outdoor activities very dangerous during this heat wave. If possible, such activities should be avoided.
As if the heat was not bad enough, Mother Nature will throw gusty winds into the mix this week.
An area of high pressure is forecast to build over the interior western U.S. While this high pressure system will push colder air and September snow southward across the Rockies and High Plains, its main effect will be to generate gusty winds over the Great Basin and along the Pacific Coast states. Even though some cooler air will accompany the wind, it will not be enough to avoid a substantial increase in wildfire ignition and rapid spread.
The strongest winds will spread from north to south across the West and will generally blow from the east or northeast.
The windiest conditions are likely in the Northwest from Monday to Tuesday and then in the Southwest, including Southern California, from Tuesday to Wednesday.
While winds may not get as strong as traditional Santa Ana or Diablo events, they could still cause major problems. The potential exists for dangerous fast-moving wildfires (firestorms) this week due to ongoing dryness and drought conditions.
"Some of the strongest wind gusts could reach 60-70 mph," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda. "However, even if these gusts are not realized, even 30- to 50-mph wind gusts can cause fires to move rapidly," he added.
The gusty winds anticipated by AccuWeather can not only cause erratic wildfire behavior and extreme difficulty for containment but also could bring down trees and power lines, which can cause sparks and cause more fires to ignite.
Huntington Lake in Fresno County in California was under an evacuation order on Saturday due to the fast-spreading Creek Fire.
In lieu of fires, the strong winds anticipated can cause trouble for high-profile vehicles traveling on north-south-orientated routes.
"Localized wind currents through the canyons and passes and on bridges can develop suddenly and be troublesome for trucks and trailers," Sojda said.
California is not the only place of concern for high winds and fire danger. Strong winds can occur over much of the western third of the nation.
"Portland, Oregon, will be at risk for strong easterly winds that funnel through the Columbia Gorge from Monday afternoon to Tuesday," Sojda said.
Winds could get strong enough to cause wind damage and power outages in the Portland area as a result.
The National Weather Service in Portland has gone as far to say the wind event could be "historic" and "fire weather concerns abound."
"Offshore winds [forecast by computer models] tend to occur less than once every 30 years, based on 1979-2009 climatology. In other words, it never occurred during that period," the Portland NWS office discussion issued on Friday morning stated.
Related:
The weather pattern may bring a second surge of heat later this week.
After a cooldown with temperatures trending 5-20 degrees lower during the first part of the week as a piece of the chilly air filters westward and southward, temperatures are likely to rebound to very high levels at midweek.
"While it won't get as hot as the heat wave from this weekend, temperatures will trend upward once again during the middle to latter part of the week over much of the Pacific Coast states," Clark said.
The combination of a hot, dry summer and a lackluster monsoon season has set the stage for searing heat this weekend and rough fire weather conditions going into the autumn. Additional episodes of strong winds and elevated fire danger are likely to be ongoing.
It is possible that utility companies may need to cut power to reduce the risk of lines coming down and causing sparks. That means that some areas may be without air conditioning in the heat this week.
Motorists should avoid parking their vehicle on high brush as heat from the exhaust system, combined with strong winds, could quickly cause a fire to develop and spread rapidly.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo