Hot temperatures and dry conditions will continue to plague portions of Southwest California through the weekend, thanks to offshore winds. On Thursday, these Santa Ana winds brought temperatures up to the mid 90s in some locations, with several high temperature records broken. High pressure in the Great Basin will continue to create offshore winds through the weekend, though the winds and warm temperatures aren’t expected to be as intense after Friday.
Wind advisories remain in effect around Los Angeles and several bordering counties to the north. Wind gusts could top 50 mph in these locations.
As the dense air from the desert is forced downslope toward the coast it warms and dries out. These dry and windy conditions could lead to a brief period of elevation or critical fire conditions, so please be extra careful in this area with any sort of open flame.
As the pressure gradient between the interior and coast relaxes through the weekend, winds and warm temperatures will gradually decrease. High temperatures are still expected to remain between 10-20 degrees above average into Monday. As onshore winds return toward the middle of next week, near to below average temperatures can be expected.
For the latest forecast for the Southwest Region, tune in at :50 past each hour. You can also access the Western Regional Forecast on demand anytime through the WeatherNation app.