LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A red flag warning signifying a high risk of wildfire is in effect in much of the Southland today because of high winds and low humidity.
The warning went into effect at 6 p.m. Sunday in the San Gabriel Mountains in L.A. and Ventura counties and L.A. County's San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys. At 10 p.m. Sunday, it went into force in the Santa Monica Mountains, the San Gabriel Valley and along the L.A. and Ventura County coastlines.
A red flag warning will also be in effect today in Orange County -- until 6 p.m.
A less serious fire weather watch will be in effect from 11 Tuesday night to 6 p.m. Thursday in much of L.A. and Ventura counties because of strong Santa Ana winds and very low humidity, but, with the NWS reporting the next Santa Ana wind event may be even stronger than the current one, the watch appeared likely to be upgraded to a red flag warning.
The NWS warned that gusts of 40 to 50 miles per hour are expected in L.A. and Ventura counties this morning, along with humidity levels of between 5 and 10 percent.
In the Antelope Valley, a freeze warning will be in effect until 9 a.m. Temperatures could dip to 28 degrees.
The NWS forecast sunny skies in L.A. County and highs of 60 on Mount Wilson; 64 in Palmdale and Lancaster; 70 in Saugus; 71 in Avalon; 76 in Burbank and at LAX; and 77 in Downtown L.A., Long Beach, Pasadena, San Gabriel and Woodland Hills. Tuesday's temperatures will be up to five degrees lower and roughly the same on Wednesday before ramping up by several degrees on Thusday, when highs will be 79 in Downtown L.A. and Woodland Hills.
Sunny skies were also forecast in Orange County today, along with highs of 56 on Santiago Peak; 67 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 74 in Laguna Beach; 75 in San Clemente, Fremont Canyon and Trabuco Canyon; 76 in Newport Beach and Yorba Linda; 78 in Fullerton, Anaheim and Mission Viejo; and 80 in Irvine. Temperatures will be up to six degrees lower Tuesday and a few degrees higher Wednesday.
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