Wednesday, March 12, 2014

[californiadisasters] Wind Speeds Pick Up, Red Flag Warning in Effect for Southern California



Gusts up to 65 mph are possible in some areas during hot and dry conditions

By Jonathan Lloyd | KNBC-TV Los Angeles
|  Wednesday, Mar 12, 2014  |  Updated 8:27 AM PDT

Winds speeds are picking up Wednesday morning as fire crews prepare for a day of hot, dry and windy weather that includes high fire danger.

A red flag warning, indicating elevated fire danger, is schedule for 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday. Powerful winds are expected in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, with the strongest gusts around 65, according to the National Weather  Service.

"The strongest winds are in the mountains and foothills and down through the Inland Empire," said NBC4 meteorologist Crystal Egger.

Winds speeds are expected to decrease by noon, Egger said.

Gusts of 50 and 47 mph were reported early Wednesday in the Santa Clarita Valley northwest of Los Angeles.

The red flag warning also covers Orange County coastal areas, the  Santa Ana Mountains and portions of the Cleveland National Forest. A gust of 56 mph was reported Wednesday morning in Freemont Canyon.

Because of fire weather conditions, parking restrictions will be in effect in Pasadena from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The restrictions allow emergency vehicles to access narrow or winding  roads in areas that border surrounding wildlands.

Wednesday marks the fourth time is about six months that Pasadena has activated the red flag parking restrictions.

"In the past, we've averaged maybe once per year," said Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian.

The fire weather warnings come nearly two weeks after the most significant rainfall the region has seen in months. Heavy rainfall drenched foothill communities in the San Gabriel Valley, but did little to decrease the fire danger.

"There's a myth that because we had a lot of rain last weekend that there's still a lot of moisture," Derderian said. "That is not the case."

No similar parking restrictions were immediately in place in Los Angeles,  where officials call for restrictions in the Hollywood Hills.

Source: www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Wind-Gusts-Fire-Weather-Red-Flag-Warning-SoCal-LA-Forecast-249718601.html



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