Gusty Santa Ana winds and low humidity will significantly raise the risk of wildfires through Saturday morning in the San Diego County mountains and inland valleys, according to the National Weather Service.
Winds out of the northeast are expected to be between 15-25 mph Friday, with gusts potentially reaching 40 mph in the mountains and 30 mph in the inland valleys, forecasters said. Humidity will remain in the 8-12% range throughout the day.
The gusty conditions are expected to become weaker and more localized each day from Saturday through Monday, according to the weather service.
A red flag warning remains in effect through 9 a.m. Saturday in the mountains and the inland valleys. The warning means any wildfires that develop will likely spread rapidly, according to the weather service.
San Diego Gas and Electric advised that up to 2,739 customers in the eastern portion of the county could face precautionary power shutoffs Friday. Those customers are in the areas of Alpine, Campo Reservation, Crestwood, Descanso, Julian, La Posta Reservation, Manzanita Reservation, Pala, Santa Ysabel, Santa Ysabel Reservation, Valley Center and Viejas Reservation.
High temperatures Friday are forecast to reach 71 degrees near the coast and inland, 72 in the western valleys, 68 near the foothills, 60 in the mountains and 72 in the deserts.
High pressure centered near the west coast will keep temperatures above average through much of the week, forecasters said.
–– City News Service