The Bay Area is about to get slammed again with dry, gusting winds and hot temperatures on Thursday, meteorologists said.
Dry winds with gusts of 25 to 30 mph and low humidity are expected in the area of the Glass Fire and in the North Bay mountains, creating conditions likely to spread the Glass Fire, and lasting into the weekend.
The seasonal winds, blowing toward the coast, are expected above 1,000 feet with the strongest gusts above 2,000 feet, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a red flag warning starting at 1 p.m. Thursday for the North Bay mountains and the region around the Glass Fire. The red flag warning is slated to last through at least 6 p.m. Friday.
At the same time, unusually high temperatures, reaching well past 100 in the North Bay and other inland areas, are expected on Thursday.
The gusty winds aren’t expected to be as strong or occur at lower elevations as last weekend when three separate fires in Napa and Sonoma counties ignited and grew together into the 48,440 acre Glass Fire, which has destroyed 80 buildings, including homes and winery structures.
“It isn’t your typical strong offshore wind event, but with dry conditions and fire on the ground, even 25 mph is something to be concerned about,” said Drew Peterson, a weather service meteorologist.
Along with the gusty winds, the entire Bay Area can expect a brief burst of heat Thursday when temperatures are expected to be about 15 to 25 degrees hotter than usual. Temperatures could reach 105 in the North Bay and far East Bay with San Francisco and other cities around the bay reaching into the low- to mid-90s.
The National Weather Service has also issued a heat advisory for the Bay Area beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday and lasting through 8 p.m. People are advised to stay inside when possible, stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day.
Smoke from the Glass Fire and other fires in Northern and Central California is likely to drift into the Bay Area through at least Friday, reducing air quality. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air alert through Friday but officials warn that shifting winds and burning fires mean the region may have to deal with smoke for days to come.
“Unfortunately there’s a lot of smoke out there,” said Kristine Roselius, an air district spokeswoman. “Smoke can be unpredictable but we’re expecting smoke impacts throughout the week.”
Temperatures are expected to cool by about 10 degrees on Friday, remaining in the 90s away from the ocean and the bay. Saturday should bring more relief with the return of more seasonal temperatures — in the 60s around the bay and the low to mid-80s inland.
Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
The Link LonkOctober 01, 2020 at 02:47AM
https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Gusty-dry-winds-and-heat-to-return-to-Bay-Area-15609354.php
Gusty, dry winds prompt red flag warning for Thursday - San Francisco Chronicle
https://news.google.com/search?q=dry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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