'Red Flag' Fire Warning Issued Through Friday

Gusty winds and extremely dry conditions were expected to develop in San Diego-area mountain and valley locales late Thursday night, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a "red flag" wildfire warning, effective all day Thursday and continuing until 6 p.m. Friday.

The alert, which cautions the public about potentially critical fire danger, replaced a less serious fire-weather watch that the federal agency had instituted earlier in the morning.

Over the red flag period, northeast winds will likely blow up to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph, as relative humidities fall below 10 percent, the NWS reported. Adding to the wildfire hazards will be temperatures in the high 70s, 80s and 90s across the county, forecasters said.

The winds are expected to diminish Friday night, and atmospheric moisture will increase Saturday. From Sunday through Tuesday, rain and thunderstorms will be possible, the weather service predicted.

-City News Service

Also read: Santee Fire Guide