Calmer winds, extended break from Santa Ana gusts to assist firefighting efforts in L.A. area
A big break from the winds is on the way and is forecast to last through the weekend before another Santa Ana event returns this week.
AccuWeather California Expert Ken Clark says a break in the Santa Ana winds will lead to calmer conditions for the state, making it favorable for firefighters as they continue to contain the fires.
A much-needed break from high winds is in store for parts of coastal Southern California following multiple rounds of Santa Ana events, AccuWeather weather meteorologists say.
A pattern that keeps dry, offshore winds in check and allows a light flow of moisture from the Pacific Ocean began to develop on Thursday and is forecast to continue through the weekend, AccuWeather Meteorologist Heather Zehr said.
The upcoming light winds will allow firefighting efforts to be much more efficient, as the ongoing blazes will have less tendency to expand quickly.
Depending on the terrain, containment should increase substantially. Higher humidity levels and even some late-night and early-morning drizzle will also help. Moist fuels (brush, grass and trees) are much less combustible than dry fuels.
Extreme caution and vigilance are still advised. Brush can easily dry out during the afternoon, and embers from existing fires can still travel and start new blazes.
One negative effect of the light winds and a stable atmosphere will be much less dispersal of existing smoke. At times, smoke containing toxins from the recent and ongoing fires can become thick and dip to ground level. For this reason, people with respiratory problems should remain indoors in an air-filtered environment if possible.
Dr. Lisa Patel, with the Stanford School of Medicine, details how you can protect yourself from the dangers of wildfire smoke in California and across the country.
New Santa Ana brewing, fire danger to jump early this week
Looking ahead, a front will pass through the area late Sunday to Sunday night and might trigger very spotty, light showers—nothing that would affect brush and soil moisture, Zehr said.
In the wake of that front, high pressure will build across the Great Basin of the southwestern United States, and a storm will form off the Pacific coast, just to the southwest of Southern California, from Monday to Tuesday and perhaps Wednesday. As this happens, another Santa Ana event will be triggered.
How strong winds get will depend on where that coastal storm sets up. If to the north or right along the Southern California coast, winds may be kept at bay somewhat. If the storm sets up farther south—over northwest Mexico—a similar high-velocity wind event, like that of last week, may unfold. At this time, AccuWeather meteorologists are anticipating a more moderate Santa Ana, with the downtown Los Angeles area being somewhat sheltered.
"Winds would start to pick up during the day on Monday and be strongest from Monday night into Tuesday but continue into next Wednesday," Zehr said.
AccuWeather meteorologists are expecting a pattern change across much of the U.S. toward the end of January and February.
"That change is likely to bring warmer weather to the Southeast, milder air to the Northeast and colder conditions to the West," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said. "It is possible that may break the string of strong offshore wind events for Southern California and could lead to some opportunities for rainfall and mountain snow in California."
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