Cooler temperatures and potential rain are coming to Southern California this weekend, however with elevated fireplace threat in a area the place the state’s largest blaze to date this 12 months is already burning.
The Nationwide Climate Service is predicting scattered showers and thunderstorms within the southern half of the state on Saturday, together with some cooler temperatures over the weekend that would lastly deliver some non permanent aid to a protracted warmth wave scorching the area.
Nationwide Climate Service meteorologist John Dumas stated regardless of potential moist climate and decrease temperatures, fireplace threat could solely enhance.
In a sample known as virga, the moisture within the center layers of the environment will fall as rain, however evaporate earlier than hitting the bottom, Dumas stated.
“Sadly, the lightning can nonetheless make it,” Dumas stated, which could spark new wildfires.
That would worsen circumstances for fireplace personnel working across the clock to extinguish the Lake fireplace in Santa Barbara County, California’s largest to date this 12 months. That blaze has grown to 37,742 acres, however firefighters have labored to comprise the blaze across the Santa Ynez and Los Olivos area the place buildings had been threatened.
Crew members have made a “seen distinction” on the south aspect of the hearth in latest days, the place flames might beforehand be seen from Santa Ynez and the Lake Cachuma space, stated Capt. Scott Safechuck, spokesperson for the Santa Barbara County Fireplace Division.
Firefighters have labored via nights to make some progress on the blaze with managed burns of dry vegetation and a water-dropping helicopter. These coordinated efforts have “actually been profitable for us eliminating a whole lot of the menace on the south aspect,” Safechuck stated.
Threat of fire-igniting dry lightning has led to climate officers issuing a crimson flag warning till 9 p.m. Saturday for the mountain and foothill areas of Los Angeles County, based on the climate service, together with the Antelope Valley and valleys of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, Ojai and Casitas Valley.
Dumas stated climate service officers have instruments that may monitor in actual time and mannequin possible lightning strikes, which helps firefighters on the bottom.
Dumas additionally stated the warmth will lower by one or two levels over the following few days, resulting in “nearly regular temperatures” by Monday or Tuesday earlier than a brand new warmth wave is anticipated to roll via Southern California.
