Fire-fanning Santa Anas likely to worsen

Fire-fanning Santa Anas likely to worsen

High winds

Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times

"The strongest winds have not occurred yet. They're going to peak [on Monday]," said Ken Clark, a Rancho Cucamonga-based expert senior meteorologist for Accuweather.com.

Forecasters say the strongest gusts are yet to come. Temperatures are expected to rise while humidity drops.

By Hector Becerra, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

October 22, 2007

The fires raging across Southern California are being fueled by gale-force winds that meteorologists say will worsen in the next two days as temperatures rise and humidity levels continue to plummet.

Forecasters from the National Weather Service and other meteorological organizations said they couldn't recall such intense winds in Southern California, even in the heart of the Santa Ana season.

Anatomy of a 'Devil Wind'

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Anatomy of a 'Devil Wind'

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Malibu ablaze

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Malibu Canyon area

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A History of Fire in Southern California

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The conditions have been exacerbated by a La Niña weather pattern that meteorologists have warned about for months, saying it will bring a drier-than-normal winter in a region already dealing with the driest year on record.

Winds are expected to pick up at least until Tuesday, when forecasters say it's possible that Los Angeles will match the all-time high of 95 degrees for that day.

"Not only is it a strong event, it's one of the strongest events you'll get in any Santa Ana season," said Ken Clark, a Rancho Cucamonga-based senior meteorologist for Accuweather.com. "And the strongest winds have not occurred yet."