598  
FNUS21 KWNS 181630  
FWDDY1  
 
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
1029 AM CST WED DEC 18 2024  
 
VALID 181700Z - 191200Z  
 
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF LOS ANGELES AND  
VENTURA COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA...  
 
NO CHANGES TO THE ONGOING FORECAST. ELEVATED TO NEAR-CRITICAL FIRE  
WEATHER IS ONGOING IN THE TYPICAL SANTA ANA CORRIDORS THIS MORNING.  
GIVEN THE OBSERVED MAGNITUDE OF THE OFFSHORE GRADIENT THIS MORNING,  
A FEW HOURS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER REMAIN POSSIBLE TODAY AS RH  
FALLS IN CONJUNCTION WITH SURFACE HEATING.  
 
..WENDT.. 12/18/2024  
   
PREV DISCUSSION  
/ISSUED 0157 AM CST WED DEC 18 2024/  
   
..SYNOPSIS  
 
MID-LEVEL RIDGING OVER THE WESTERN US IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY  
THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD, AS THE OVERALL FLOW PATTERN AMPLIFIES.  
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD,  
SUPPORTING OFFSHORE FLOW ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHERN CA. SANTA ANA  
WINDS, IN COMBINATION WITH LOW RH VALUES, SHOULD ALLOW FOR SEVERAL  
HOURS OF ELEVATED TO CRITICAL FIRE-WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS  
SOUTHERN CA.  
   
..SOUTHERN CA  
 
HIGH PRESSURE IN THE GREAT BASIN WILL DRIVE OFFSHORE WINDS ACROSS  
PARTS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EARLY THIS MORNING, CONTINUING THROUGH  
THE AFTERNOON. WITH THE OFFSHORE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINING FAIRLY  
STRONG (-4 TO -6 MB) THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY, GUSTS OF  
40-50 MPH THROUGH THE TERRAIN-FAVORED CORRIDORS AND ON RIDGE TOPS  
ARE EXPECTED. SEVERAL HOURS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE  
LIKELY ACROSS PORTIONS OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES, WITH RH  
VALUES BELOW 15%. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY DIMINISH DURING THE  
EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WEAKENS INTO EARLY  
D2/THUR.  
   
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT  
 
 
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