Santa Anas Will Bring Warm, Windy Conditions For Thanksgiving

Santa Ana winds will bring warm weather, high winds and an increased wildfire risk this Thanksgiving.

According to the National Weather Service, Thursday’s temperatures in and around Los Angeles County will likely start in the 40s or 50s, and possibly as low as the 20s and 30s in the desert.

By afternoon, most areas will have warmed up to the mid-70s or lower 80s, with the warmest conditions closest to the beaches.

Ryan Kittell, a forecaster with NWS, said these temperatures aren’t unusual for the region.

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“In Southern California, we do have warm days in the wintertime,” he said. “[They] make us the envy of the rest of the country.”

About Those Wind Gusts

The autumn warmth is frequently due to the Santa Anas, and that remains true this week. The temperate breeze blows in from Nevada and Utah and compresses over the mountains, causing thermometers to go up.

Winds are already picking up in the mountains and valleys and are expected to increase Wednesday night, peaking on Thursday. NWS expects gusts between 35 and 55 mph in the mountains and Western valleys of L.A. County, as well as on the coast from Malibu to Ventura.

Some of the windiest foothills and mountains could see gusts as high as 50 to 65 mph.

“The winds will decrease Thursday night into Friday, but still stay pretty breezy,” said Kittell. “As we get into the weekend, the wind should weaken.”

Wind advisories have been issued for the coastal areas of Malibu and Ventura County, and a high wind warning will take effect at 9 p.m. Wednesday in L.A. County, the Santa Monica Mountains, and the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys.

Fire Danger

A red flag warning is also in effect in much of L.A. and Ventura Counties.

“In addition to the winds, we also have very dry air, so there's still a high fire danger,” said Kittell.

He added that people living in fire-prone areas should review their evacuation plans, just in case they’re needed, and that all drivers should be aware of excess debris flying on the roads.

Is This The Hottest T-Day In A Long Time?

Yes, it is going to be pretty warm for festivities for this late in the year.

But 2017 was significantly hotter — hitting a record 92 degrees in downtown Los Angeles. That is likely to remain the warmest Thanksgiving in Southern California since they started keeping records in 1877.