Laguna Beach Fire Weather Continues: High Surf, Red Flag Warnings

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Much of Orange County woke to continued red-flag warnings Tuesday thanks to anticipated gusty winds and low humidity levels raising the possibility of dangerous wildfires. The National Weather Service reports that no rain is expected for at least the next 10 days.

In Laguna Beach, expect winds through the afternoon and evening with highs from 73 to 78 at the beaches, highs of 80 inland. A High Surf Advisory remains in effect until at least 1 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Inland areas would see blowing dust Tuesday morning, with highs of 82. Sustained wind speeds would reach 25 to 35 miles per hour, with gusts up to 40 to 50 miles per hour in the afternoon.

As of Tuesday morning, 11,990 customers in Los Angeles County and five in Orange County had their power cut, while another 37,208 customers in Los Angeles County and 13,119 in Orange County were under consideration for the co-called "public safety power shutoffs."

The red-flag warnings are also in effect across much of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obsipo counties, lasting through 10 p.m. Tuesday.

A wind advisory was in effect until noon in L.A. County. Gusts were expected to reach 60 mph in the mountains and 55 mph in the Santa Clarita Valley in the morning before weakening into the afternoon.

Humidity was forecast at 5 to 10 percent Tuesday.

"While winds will weaken late Tuesday through Wednesday, they will remain locally breezy with gusts between 20 and 35 mph in the windier locations especially Tuesday night.

Humidities will stay very low through Wednesday, resulting in elevated to near critical conditions," the National Weather Service said. "The threat for gusty northeast winds and additional red-flag warnings is decreasing for Thursday through Saturday.

Southern California Edison shut off electricity for thousands of customers as a precaution against downed power lines sparking a fire.

The city of Malibu said about 2,338 customers were affected by shutoffs on the Cuthbert Circuit, which includes most of Point Dume from about Westward Beach Road east to Latigo Canyon and about a half-mile inland.

Traffic signals were out at Pacific Coast Highway and Zumirez Drive and PCH and Kanan Dume Road.

City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.