Winds and Low Humidity Raise Risk of Wildfire Tuesday

Strong, gusty offshore winds coupled with very low humidity are creating an elevated risk of wildfire in San Diego County Tuesday, forecasters said.

The eastward-blowing winds were strongest in the valleys and mountains this morning, with gusts up to 35 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. The agency forecast the gusts would decrease by this afternoon to 25 mph in the valleys and 30 mph in the mountains.

"The winds won't be overly strong but they're going to keep the relative humidity very low," NWS meteorologist Steve Harrison said, adding the elevated risk will likely only last a day.

"It's not quite strong enough for any red flag warnings and humidities will start to rise again tomorrow," he said.

Daytime high temperatures today were expected to be in the low to mid- 70s near the coast, high 70s to low 80s inland and in the western valleys, mid- 70s near the foothills and in the 60s in the mountains. Desert areas were expected to top out in the mid to high 70s.

CalFire canceled a brush-clearing prescribed burn near Jacumba Tuesday because of the dangerous weather.

-City News Service