Unseasonably warm weather expected to continue
Southern California’s unseasonable January heat wave shows no signs of letting up.
Temperatures across the region flirted with record-high levels Monday afternoon, and the warm, windy conditions were expected to remain through the weekend.
That’s unwelcome news to officials bracing for possible wildfires amid dry Santa Ana gusts.
Temperatures in downtown L.A. reached 88 degrees, edging out the recorded high of 87 degrees and rising 20 degrees above normal levels, said Todd Hall, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Records were also set in Long Beach and Burbank at 87 degrees; San Gabriel at 88; and UCLA at 86 degrees. A 54-year-old record was broken in Oxnard, where temperatures inched up to 86 degrees, passing the 1955 record of 85. Parts of Orange and San Diego counties also saw record temperatures.
Weather experts said January in L.A. usually starts with wet weather followed by the type of dry warm spell the region is now experiencing. This year, the wet days never came.
“There’s no chance of rain, though we’re entering the rainiest part of our season,” meteorologist Dave Bruno said. “The moisture is not at terribly critical levels yet, but with so much wind, any fire could cause major problems.”
The warm weather combined with Santa Ana winds had officials on high alert for possible fires. Some mountain areas saw gusts reaching 50 to 60 mph, and winds in the valley and coastal areas were about 40 to 45 mph.
Red-flag fire warnings for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, which have been in effect since Friday afternoon, were extended until 6 p.m. today. Fire officials said extra strike teams were standing by in fire-prone areas.
Officials said the continued high-temperature, low-humidity spell would dry out the hillsides, increasing risk of brush fires.
They cautioned against causing the slightest spark, saying even a pickup truck dragging a chain on the pavement could lead to a disastrous fire.
The warm, breezy weather was expected to continue throughout the week, although officials said the strongest winds would taper off this afternoon.
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