Santa Ana winds expected Sunday night

This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

Santa Ana winds are expected Sunday evening and could stick around until Monday morning.They won’t be particularly strong, said National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall, but there will likely be gusts ranging from 40 to 50 mph.The strongest winds are likely to hit western Los Angeles and eastern Ventura counties, affecting the areas of Malibu, Thousands Oaks, Porter Ranch and Santa Clarita.Recent rains have left soil and new vegetation wet, diminishing the threat of wildfire stoked by wind.

And the speeds won’t be nearly as severe as January’s winds, which reached 100 mph in some places, feeding two major fires on opposite sides of the county.Those destroyed and damaged thousands of homes in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, leaving entire communities displaced for nearly a year.But Hall cautioned that the windy weather can always bring down power lines or tree branches, which can spark a fire.“The threat is minimized with the Santa Anas we’re expecting.

But we can’t totally rule that out,” Hall said about wildfire risk.The weather service is also monitoring for potential rain starting Wednesday afternoon across most of Southern California.“We don’t have a good handle on it at this point, but we’re going to continue watching,” Hall said.The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.

Follow UsColleen Shalby is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times covering transportation and mobility, as well as post-Eaton fire rebuilding efforts.She previously wrote about education and breaking news throughout California.

She was part of the team that was a 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist for coverage of a dive-boat fire off the Santa Barbara coast.Before joining the newsroom in 2015, she worked for PBS NewsHour.

She graduated from George Washington Uni...