Much of the Southland will remain under a red flag warning through the middle of the week but the timing of the wind’s peak has changed.
Forecasts show the strongest gusts are slated to hit Southern California overnight. Originally, those gusts were anticipated to strike around 4 a.m. Tuesday but now, the peak of the wind is forecasted to occur early Wednesday.
“The latest update this evening showing you that the arrival of the winds, or at least the strongest winds has shifted,” NBC4 Meteorologist Melissa Magee said in her forecast. “It will be during the overnight hours.”
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Southern Californians should brace for the strongest winds to hit any time from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Thankfully, the upcoming peak isn’t expected to be as strong as the gusts last week that fanned Los Angeles County’s brush fires.
“We’re dealing with a northeasterly wind and it’s taking more of an easterly component, so it’s taking those winds from the Santa Clarita Valley, down across Ventura County valleys and mountains and really void of the Palisades,” Magee said. “Last week, we had more of a northerly component to our wind. That’s why the basin, that’s why the Palisades, that’s why the coast, that’s why Altadena was dealing with those really strong winds gusts. That’s not the case with this wind event.”
Much of Southern California will remain under a red flag warning through 3 p.m. Thursday. And a wind advisory through 6 p.m. Wednesday. The winds are forecast to die down midweek.
“After that, after Wednesday evening, the winds will really start to subside so there’s some great news there,” Magee said. “Improved humidity, more moisture, that’s good news in terms of firefighting efforts later this week.”
■ Evacuation Warning ■ Evacuation Order
Updated Jan. 26, 2025 at 7 a.m. PT