California Braces for More Dangerous Wildfires Due to Dry Conditions

It looks like California might be in for a rough few months. Weather experts have warned that the state is facing particularly dangerous wildfire conditions. What makes this situation unique? It’s the combination of dry fuels and powerful winds. Fuels are things like grass, shrubs, and trees that can easily catch fire, and the dryness of these is determined by long-term droughts and recent rainfall. In southern California, the Santa Ana winds are notorious for causing trouble, bringing in dry air from the deserts. Over the next week, there’s some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the record-breaking winds we saw last week aren’t likely to return just yet. The bad news is that the start of the rainy season in Los Angeles is off to a disastrously dry start, and it seems to be getting worse. A stalled low-pressure system offshore is bringing back those troublesome Santa Ana winds. The National Weather Service has raised the fire weather alert to the highest level, “particularly dangerous situation. ” They predict winds strong enough to cause fast-spreading fires and warn everyone to be extra careful.

In the coming days, the central coast and even the Bay Area could see record levels of dry fuel. This means the water content in plants is particularly low, making them very flammable. And the outlook for the next few weeks is not very encouraging. Los Angeles is only seeing about 2% of the usual rainfall for this time of year, which is extremely unusual. January and February are typically the wettest months, but it seems like southern California might not receive any rain at all for another month or two. This drought could stick around for a while, worsening fire conditions. Even further ahead, the drought is expected to continue into March. California is known for its weather swings, like going from very wet to extremely dry seasons, which is a sign of the climate crisis. When rain does come, it might be accompanied by atmospheric rivers, which could lead to flooding and mudslides in areas affected by previous wildfires. La Niña conditions have also just started, which often precede drought years. Looking ahead seven months, Los Angeles could get between 4 to 7 inches of rain for the rest of the rainy season, which isn’t much. This could mean dangerous fire weather could last well into the summer and potentially spread.

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