By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
December 27, 2018, 2:49:22 PM EST
A period of moderate to strong winds will rattle portions of Southern California from Thursday night to Saturday.
Gusts will be strong enough to make for difficult travel with lightweight and high-profile vehicles.
The combination of dry air and gusty winds will raise the risk of wildfire ignition and quick spread of any existing fires.
People are urged to exercise caution with outdoor flames and power equipment that may cause sparks.
Northerly, Sundowner winds, with gusts to 45 mph, are likely from parts of Santa Barbara County to just north and west of Los Angeles into Friday morning.
Winds are forecast to be mainly from the north into Thursday night then shift to a more northeasterly direction, more typical of a Santa Ana event, in coastal areas of California on Friday.
However, larger area of Southern California is likely to be affected, when compared to a typical Santa Ana. This wind event will also bring chillier air into the region, rather than record warmth.
The winds are likely to be more northerly in direction from southern Nevada to along the Colorado River near the California and Arizona border.
The wind shift will occur as a storm, known as an inside slider, travels southeastward across the interior Southwest.
That storm is forecast to spread a swath of heavy snow over parts of New Mexico and Arizona to close out the week.
The winds from Friday night to Saturday are likely to be significantly stronger than the winds into Friday.
Gusts may reach 60 mph over the ridges and peaks of the mountains, and may approach 50 mph over the passes and through the canyons.
Gusts may reach 60 mph over the ridges and peaks of the mountains, and may approach 50 mph over the passes and through the canyons.
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Winds are expected to diminish over Southern California later Saturday to Sunday.
Sub-freezing temperatures will settle over the interior of Southern California with clear skies in the forecast at night this weekend into early next week.
Protective measures may be needed for tender vegetable and berry crops over the interior valleys.
Sunny and chilly conditions are forecast for the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, on New Year's Day morning.
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