Life-Threatening Conditions Expected Tuesday Through Wednesday, Wind Gusts Between 50-100 MPH
A powerful and potentially life-threatening windstorm is forecast to sweep through Los Angeles and Ventura counties starting Tuesday afternoon, bringing damaging winds and extreme fire weather conditions through at least Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) of Los Angeles. The area of concern includes nearly the entire Los Angeles Metro area, but NWS has advised that parts of the city outside of the area of concern could also be affected.
According to the latest NWS update, the strongest wind areas of LA and Ventura Counties will see widespread N-NE wind gusts of 50-80 mph, with isolated gusts up to 80-100 mph in the mountains and foothills. We will update this breaking story as news develops.
The areas of greatest concern include Los Angeles County Beaches, Los Angeles County, and Inland Coast including Downtown Los Angeles. Communities such as Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Compton, LAX, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, and Culver City, are expected to experience severe impacts. Pacific Palisades and Malibu’s warnings start at 10:00 a.m. and the warning for the rest of the city starts around 4:00 p.m.
As of 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the Santa Monica-Malibu School District announced that “due to worsening weather conditions and safety concerns, all Malibu schools will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, including Malibu Elementary, Webster Elementary, Malibu Middle, and Malibu High schools. Santa Monica schools remain open.
Superintendent Antonio Shelton stated in the press release, “We will continue to monitor the situation along with our partners including the City of Malibu and So Cal Edison, and will keep you informed of plans for reopening.”
The NWS warning states that damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. This is a Red Flag warning as well as a wind storm warning.
Cal Trans District 7’s social media account announced that Topanga Canyon Blvd (SR-27) will be closed from 10:00 a.m. Tuesday to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 7-10, in Topanga due to Red Flag Warning fire danger. Only residents and local business traffic are allowed in the canyon.
Residents are advised to stay indoors and away from windows as strong winds pose a significant risk of downed trees and widespread power outages. These conditions, combined with the dry environment, create the potential for rapid fire growth and extreme fire behavior should any new fires ignite.
