Warmer temperatures, strong winds on the way
Get ready for some summer vibes across Southern California in coming days.
Warm weather will be showing up starting today, getting into the upper 80s inland and mid- to upper 70s along the coast — unusually warm for this time of year.
Casey Oswant, meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said temperatures could be 15-20 degrees above average for mid-January, with the warmest day Friday before temperatures dip slightly during the weekend.
“Sunday, in relative terms, it cools down, but it doesn’t cool down that much,” she said, noting that by the end of the weekend, it likely will be closer to the low 80s and just below 70 at the coast. “Along the coast, it will still be pretty toasty, but not as warm.”
Santa Ana winds are expected to show up from this evening into Friday in mountain and foothill areas, reaching up to 50 mph in some areas.
“We are looking at elevated, to near critical, fire conditions,” Oswant said.
“The minimum relative humidity will be 10% to 15% during that time.”
If warm weather is making the beach sound tempting, be warned — the ocean will be chilly, with water temps lingering in the upper 50s.
And if you’re a novice in ocean conditions, use caution. Surf is expected to be elevated, in the 3-foot to 5-foot range.
Extreme low tides in late afternoon could be ideal for checking out tidepools, but beware of waves that can crash onto rocks or jetties.
On the flip side, high morning tides may swamp some coastal areas and be warned of big clifflike drop-offs where sand erosion has occurred with the run of recent big swells.
Surf is expected to increase to 5 feet to 7 feet Sunday and into next week, the latest in a series of strong swells to hit Southern California.
“Stay cool, make sure people are watching out and being careful about fire hazards,” Oswant said. “If you’re headed to the beach, watch out for rip currents and stay safe.”
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