Santa Ana Winds To Elevate Fire Risk To Riverside County

RIVERSIDE, CA — Gusty Santa Ana winds are expected Monday in the Riverside metropolitan area, with conditions building late in the evening and continuing into at least Wednesday, raising the risk of wildfires.

"The strong winds and lowest humidity will coincide on Tuesday for the Inland Empire, the Santa Ana Mountains, and inland Orange County," according to the National Weather Service.

A red flag warning will be in effect from 10 p.m. Monday through 10 p.m. Tuesday, affecting the Inland Empire and Riverside County valleys.

Affected areas could have winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph possible. Humidity levels will hover between 15% and 20%, forecasters said.

A high wind watch will also be in effect in the Riverside metropolitan area from Monday evening through late Tuesday night.

The NWS warned that the strong winds could make travel difficult for high profile vehicles and blow down trees and power lines, potentially causing widespread power outages.

High temperatures Monday are expected to be in the mid-70s to low-80s in the valleys and metro area, the low-80s in the Coachella Valley and the low- 60s to low-70s in the mountains.

A low pressure system to the southwest will move into the region on Tuesday, bringing the potential for light snow in the Riverside County mountains and light rain in the rest of the county, forecasters said.

—City News Service