High winds till Tuesday could spark wildfires across Stanislaus County, NorCal
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning until Tuesday afternoon due to high winds that could lead to wildfires across much of Northern California including Stanislaus County.
According to a Facebook post by the Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services, this could be the “strongest offshore wind event of 2020.” Residents are advised to prepare in case of fires or power outages. The Red Flag Warning started at 8 a.m. Sunday and goes through 1 p.m. Tuesday.
The NWS said winds in the Valley are expected to reach 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 40 to 50 mph. In the mountain and foothill areas, winds could be even higher and more dangerous, reaching 25 to 30 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph. Wind-prone areas could see severe gusts up to 70 mph as well. The strongest winds are expected late Sunday through Monday.
In Modesto and across the county, temperatures are expected to cool for the next few days. The high for Monday is predicted to be near 70 degrees, followed by 71 Tuesday and 74 Wednesday. High temperatures the rest of the week are forecast to remain in the mid-70s.
Wind gusts may reach as high as 28 mph locally. Low humidity both during the day and overnight could contribute to the dangerous conditions.
“Adding to it is the low humidity and the vegetation being extremely dry, near record dry for this time of year,” NWS-Sacramento meteorologist Hannah Chandler-Cooley said.
The extreme fire weather conditions forecast come as firefighters continue to battle wildfires across the state. This year also saw five of the six largest wildfires in state history burn across Northern California.
Residents are advised to look out for fallen trees, downed power lines and other debris. The wind could also cause power outages. Those in the Red Flag Warning areas are advised to make a plan in advance, including having a supply of food and water, medicine and PPE equipment, external power supplies, fuel and cash.
This story was originally published October 24, 2020 at 1:13 PM.
