LOS ANGELES — An extensive power shutdown affected tens of thousands of residents by Monday evening as utility companies took precautionary measures against the strong Santa Ana winds typical to Southern California. These winds pose a risk to electrical infrastructure and can ignite wildfires.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning due to the heightened fire danger, categorizing the situation as a “particularly dangerous situation” (PDS) starting from 8 p.m. Monday and extending into Tuesday for Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
The last PDS red flag warning was declared in the first week of November when intense dry winds contributed to the Mountain Fire, a blaze that resulted in the destruction of over 240 structures, predominantly residences, in Ventura County. It was the first time since 2020 that such a warning had been issued before that incident.
“This event has the potential to be as severe as the Santa Ana winds experienced on November 5th-6th that preceded the Mountain Fire,” the Los Angeles weather service indicated on social media over the weekend.
Approximately 42,000 customers in San Diego County experienced power outages, and utility companies are anticipating further disruptions. Southern California Edison announced plans for possible targeted outages affecting more than 250,000 homes and businesses across seven counties beginning Monday evening. Meanwhile, San Diego Gas & Electric alerted nearly 117,500 customers about the possibility of losing power temporarily to mitigate wildfire risks.
Wind speeds reached between 50 to 60 mph (80 to 97 kph) in surrounding mountainous areas by Monday night, with certain regions, like the Santa Ana and San Gabriel mountains, recording gusts exceeding 60 mph (97 kph), according to the National Weather Service.
Santa Ana winds, characterized by their warm, dry, and gusty nature, originate from the interior parts of Southern California and move toward coastal and offshore areas. These winds are most commonly observed in the fall and often persist into winter and early spring.
In contrast, Northern California is anticipating a potential “impactful rainfall event” later in the week, particularly for the San Francisco Bay Area, indicating a shift in weather dynamics in the region.
