Santa Ana winds push November temperatures near 90

Highs near 90 degrees are forecast for coastal areas of Southern California this weekend as Santa Ana winds arrive.

Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, described the incoming system as a weak to moderate Santa Ana event. Conditions began developing late Thursday and are expected to persist through the weekend. The winds will peak on Saturday with sustained gusts between 30 and 45 mph. In isolated mountainous areas of Ventura and Los Angeles counties, gusts could reach 55 mph.

The wind event follows a cool and rainy Halloween. The previous Santa Ana wind episode fueled multiple fires, including the 570-acre Norte fire in San Clemente. This new system brings widespread temperatures in the upper 70s and 80s. The National Weather Service indicated that highs near 90 degrees could be common, particularly along the coast.

Forecasts place downtown Los Angeles at 87 degrees on Sunday. Santa Monica is projected to reach a high of 84 degrees. In the San Diego area, the National Weather Service warned that temperatures west of the mountains would run well above average. Coastal zones in San Diego and Orange counties are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees above normal. The Inland Empire and San Diego valleys are set to see highs 10 to 15 degrees above normal. Temperatures in that region are expected to peak on Sunday, with Irvine and San Diego reaching 89 degrees and Oceanside reaching 88 degrees.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for sections of Los Angeles and Ventura counties starting Saturday and extending through Sunday. These warnings cover the western San Gabriel Mountains, the Santa Clarita Valley, the Santa Susanna Mountains, and the Santa Monica Mountains. Thompson stated that these warnings signal a widespread critical fire threat through the weekend. The primary drivers of the risk are expected to be weather that is very warm, dry, and breezy.

The red flag warnings serve as a reminder of the devastating 2025 fires in Los Angeles. Officials are being tested on whether they have applied lessons from the Eaton and Palisades fires. After the current wind and heat event subsides, a possible atmospheric river event may occur during the weekend of Nov. 13 and 14. Thompson noted that the agency is still evaluating the possibility of rain during that following weekend, but specific details remain uncertain.