If it hasn't been wet, it's been warm out West. This week looks no different as our good friend, an Upper Level Ridge, will continue to build in. That will keep the quiet weather around, but will start to push temperatures into historic levels over the coming days.
We've been struggling to find many that will complain openly about 70's and 80's around the Intermountain West, or even low 90's around Phoenix. It's in southern California that might have a different reaction to 90 showing up in the forecast. Because they know what that could mean: wildfire danger.
Any time high pressure sets up somewhere in the Great Basin or Four Corners, there could be offshore flow, winds blowing from the desert to the Pacific Ocean. When that happens, those winds are much warmer and drier as they cross up and over the San Gabriels and San Bernardinos. The Storm Prediction Center is highlighting areas just north of LA with an ELEVATED risk for wildfire growth today, but it hasn't risen to the level of a Red Flag Warning.
There is some good news in all of this: it's a short-lived snap of hot weather. By Tuesday and Wednesday, the breezy winds will back off and that should help temperatures settle closer to normal for this time of year. Click over to your West Regional Forecast to find out how long it'll last in the Four Corners