Editors note: It is very likely that SCE will not be able to provide us with power during this wind event. It is best to stock up on batteries and flash lights. Please do NOT use candles as they are an extreme fire danger. Purchase dry ice for your freezer and refrigerator. Please be very careful handling dry ice. You MUST wear heavy gloves or you may get frostbite immediately! Dry ice is 109 degrees below freezing!

Here is the warning from Nixle. Please subscribe at the links shown. Good luck in the first Santa Ana of the season! Stay safe!

Wednesday October 24, 2012, 8:46 PM

LASD - HQ Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff

Advisory: Los Angeles County: Santa Ana Wind Event for Wed. Night Thru Fri. Evening

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/lox

...Fire Weather Watch Due to Low Humidity, Offshore Winds, and Critically Dry Fuels for portions of Los Angeles County Wednesday Evening through Friday Evening...

...High Wind Watch for Potentially Hazardous Winds in the Los Angeles and Santa Monica Mountains, Wednesday Evening through Friday Evening...

MAIN IMPACTS

Extreme Fire Danger - Forecast models have been consistently advertising what looks to be one of the strongest Santa Ana events thus far this fall season.

Gusty northeasterly winds and single digit relative humidities should bring a period of critical fire weather conditions to portions of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties Wednesday night into early Thursday morning.

Then on Thursday night, winds will sharply increase across the mountains and valleys, then move down into the valley and some coastal areas in the overnight hours before peaking late Thursday night into Friday. The following summarizes the expected peak winds for specific areas:

Mountains of Los Angeles, including the Santa Monica Mountains...25 to 35 mph, with gusts to 60 mph.

Santa Clarita Valley, and The San Fernando Valley...20 to 30 mph, with gusts to 50 mph.

Los Angeles County Coast from Malibu to the Hollywood Hills...20 to 30 mph, with gusts to 45 mph.

The lowest relative humidity levels, which will be in the teens Thursday night through Friday morning, are expected to drop by Friday afternoon and evening into the single digits.

Winds will weaken overnight Friday into Saturday morning, but remain offshore and keep relative humidities low. These strong winds and low relative humidities, combined with critically dry fuels, will create a potential for extreme fire danger and the possibility of large fires Thursday evening through Friday evening.

Although gusty winds and low relative humidities are expected in the Santa Barbara County Mountains and South Coast Wednesday night and Thursday morning, relative humidity levels should remain above critical fire danger levels, with only a brief period of high winds and very low humidities expected to coincide during this time.

Hazardous High Winds - A hazardous high wind event is possible across the mountains of Los Angeles including the Santa Monica Mountains, over this same time period.

Winds are forecast to gust as high as 60 mph in the Los Angeles and Santa Monica Mountains. These winds could make travel difficult, especially for high profile vehicles across the I-5 corridor and Highway 14. Strong winds may also knock down trees and power lines and produce property damage.

SYNOPSIS

High pressure aloft and warming temperatures will build over the western U.S. for the remainder of the week starting Wednesday.

At the surface, high pressure will build over the great basin, and combined with low pressure offshore, will result in strong surface pressure gradients from the deserts to the ocean.

This pattern will produce strong northeast winds in the mountains and down into the valleys, and portions of coastal areas, within Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

Relative humidities will eventually lower to the single digits by Friday afternoon as wind gusts peak on Friday as high as 60 mph in mountain areas, to 45 mph along some coastal areas. While winds will generally be light through the weekend, high pressure will continue to influence the area for warm and dry conditions through the weekend before a cooling trend begins next Tuesday.

Additional Information can be found here:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/lox

Forwarded by:
Captain Mike Parker
Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau – Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
(323) 267-4800
http://www.lasd.org/
SHBNewsroom@lasd.org
www.Nixle.com
http://nixle.com/lasd----hq-newsroom-shb-los-angeles-county-sheriff/
Twitter @LASD_News http://twitter.com/#!/LASD_News
http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment

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