Weather 
Santa Ana winds are expected back in Southern California this week, but fortunately it will be a moderate wind event.
Here’s what you need to know:
When are the Santa Ana winds expected?
The Santa Ana winds are expected to last from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 3 p.m. Thursday.
The winds are expected to peak around daybreak Wednesday.
What are the expected wind speeds?
“Northeast winds will increase rapidly to 20 to 35 mph with gusts between 40 and 55 mph,” the National Weather Service reported in a weather alert. “Isolated higher gusts to 60 mph possible in wind favored locations in the western San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and western Santa Monica Mountains. Winds strongest Tuesday night into Wednesday.”
What areas will be impacted by the Santa Ana winds?
The Santa Ana winds will impact areas across Southern California, including Orange County, the Inland Empire and parts of the coast.
The areas of Southern California that will see the strongest Santa Ana winds include Acton, Santa Clarita, Calabasas, Malibu, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Santa Paula and Piru.
Is there there fire danger?
The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 3 p.m. Thursday.
A red flag warning has also been issued for 3 p.m. Tuesday to 6 p.m. Wednesday for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. During this time, winds are expected to be between 20 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph. They will be strongest in the mountains.
How does this Santa Ana wind event compare to others?
The NWS has four categories for Santa Ana wind events: weak, moderate, strong and extreme.
The wind event this week is considered a moderate wind event. The Santa Ana winds that drove the Franklin Fire in Malibu last week and the Mountain Fire in Ventura County last month were considered extreme wind events.
“While last week’s event that caused the Franklin Fire is still fresh in our minds, this event is not expected to be as strong or dry,” the National Weather Service said in a weather alert. “There is still plenty of shared concern by meteorologists and fire personnel across the area due to the receptive fuels that we have seen recently.”
What is the fire danger during this Santa Ana wind event?
Dry fuel mixed with windy conditions is what lead to the NWS to issue a fire weather watch.
Humidity is expected to be between 10% and 20%. The cause for concern is the region has not seen significant rainfall this rainy season thus far, making the dry brush more susceptible to quickly catching fire and spreading the flames.
“These winds combined with minimum humidity in the 10 to 20 percent range will very likely lead to critical Red Flag fire weather conditions developing Tuesday afternoon to evening and continuing through Wednesday afternoon,” the NWS reported in a weather alert.
