National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists are confident that the ongoing red flag warnings will expire either Wednesday night or Thursday afternoon after being issued or extended multiple times as wildfires continue burning in Southern California.
Strong Santa Ana winds are hitting fire-ravaged Los Angeles on Friday morning, but the winds will relax later in the day and the red flag warning will end Friday night.
Extreme fire conditions remain in the Southern California region as high winds have prompted a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" red flag warning,​ weather officials say.
Since last week, numerous fires have sparked in the Los Angeles area as Santa Ana winds gusted through the region.
After extreme winds gusts helped fan the flames of the Palisades and Eaton fires last week, a Red Flag Warning is once again in effect.
That’s leading to the creation of mountain waves, which arise when strong winds blow perpendicular to a mountain range. The waves shoot down the coastal side of the mountains, gaining speed along the way, and are more casually referred to as simple Santa Ana winds.
The winds fueling Southern California wildfires form when a high-pressure system develops over the Great Basin in Utah and Nevada
The red-flag warning extended Wednesday for the county’s inland valleys still is set to expire at 6 p.m. Friday, with overnight northeast winds of 28 to 38 mph and possible gusts of 50 mph, up to 60 mph after midnight.
The winds fueling wildfires in Southern California are beginning to ease, but the forecast calls for their return next week. Offshore Santa Ana winds will diminish Thursday, though a red flag warning remains in effect for the San Gabriel and Santa Susana Mountains.
"If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable for very rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior," the NWS warns.
Dry Santa Ana winds are expected to peak early Tuesday morning in the Santa Clarita Valley, bringing dangerous fire conditions to the area.