The National Weather Service (NWS) upgraded its Fire Weather Watch for the North Bay Mountains and the East Bay hills and valleys to a Red Flag Warning on Saturday night, beginning 3 a.m. Sunday and expected to last until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, amid poor humidity levels and strong winds.
This wildfire season has been another history-making (and equally demoralizing) one – but it's still far from over, with at least another month of it left. Case and point: NWS has now issued a new Red Flag Warning for parts of the Bay Area as potential fire conditions loom in the forecast.
The warning encompasses an area that stretches from north of Santa Rosa all the way down to Gilroy. Wind gusts in excess of 40mph are expected to blow through much of the Bay Area, especially in the East Bay, giving way to the chance that sparks could rapidly evolve into dangerous wildfires.
According to the weather service, north to northeast winds are predicted between 15 and 25 miles per hour, with gusts up to 60 miles per hour in some locations. "The strongest winds are expected along the eastern areas of Napa, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties," they say.
There's a LOT of active weather 🍃 in store for the Northern and Central California.
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 10, 2021
Thankfully, you can stay weather-ready✅ by:
1) Tapping the bell🔔to stay notified about our latest hazards.
2) Visiting https://t.co/VsJ8NvGVs2
#CaWx #BayAreaWeather #CaFire #Gale pic.twitter.com/ldHOLQVfiX
We are fast-approaching the start of this⚠️Offshore Wind Event⚠️w/ northerly flow over our outer waters this morning. Here's a quick look at the forecast trajectory of these winds as they begin to snake into our gaps and passes. Be sure to visit: https://t.co/VsJ8NvGVs2 #CaFire pic.twitter.com/Kd5uZURPIb
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 10, 2021
"There's a LOT of active [windy weather] at play for both our inland and sea environments the next few days," reads a Saturday tweet (since updated) from the NWS Bay Area. Localized gusts over 50mph are expected to occur in some areas. "And it may feel a little overwhelming at times."
This specific windy weather event — described as an “inside slider” because it originates over land, not water — will bring barely any moisture to a drought-stricken Bay Area, meteorologist Cynthia Palmer noted to the news outlet. She said that Monday could see the weather event’s highest wind speeds; Tuesday morning is also expected to see worrisome winds, as well.
Here’s your reminder that mowing lawns, using high-RPM power tools, and engaging in any activity which may produce a spark should be avoided in areas under a Red Flag Warning.
To stay up to date on this, visit weather.gov/mtr.
Related: Over 100 Lightning Strikes Hit Bay Area; No Major Fires Detected So Far
Photo: Getty Images/EmilyKam
*This post has been updated throughout.
