Monday, January 20, 2025

High Winds, Fire Danger to Strike Pasadena Area Monday Through Tuesday

STAFF REPORT

National Weather Service forecasters are warning Pasadena residents of an approaching strong Santa Ana wind event beginning Monday morning, with potentially damaging wind gusts that could reach 60 to 80 miles per hour.

The NWS issued a High Wind Warning for the area from Monday morning through early Tuesday afternoon.

The powerful offshore winds will combine with extremely low humidity to create dangerous fire weather conditions that could persist through Thursday.

Monday morning starts with low clouds across the region, but conditions will change dramatically as strong northeast winds develop, NWS forecasters said.

Temperatures will remain below normal, with daytime highs struggling to reach the mid-60s under increasingly clear skies.

The next 24 to 48 hours will bring significant changes to Pasadena and surrounding areas. Forecasters expect wind speeds to increase sharply Monday afternoon, with the strongest gusts occurring between 4:00p.m. Monday and 1:00 a.m Tuesday.

The La Crescenta-Altadena corridor could see particularly strong ‘mountain wave’ wind activity during this period.

Temperatures will follow an wide-ranging pattern through the week.

After Monday’s cool conditions, a warming trend begins Tuesday and continues through Thursday, when some valley locations could reach 80 degrees – running 6 to 12 degrees above normal for late January.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Pasadena residents might want to keep umbrellas handy. Forecasters are tracking a developing storm system that could bring significant rainfall to the area. Current projections show a 60-70% chance of rain during the weekend, with some models suggesting more than half an inch of precipitation for coastal and valley areas.

Next weekend’s forecast shows a marked shift in the weather pattern. A complex storm system is expected to develop off the coast, potentially bringing not only rain but also a chance of thunderstorms.

Snow levels could drop to 4,000 feet, affecting higher elevation areas in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Here is the latest forecast for Pasadena as of 4:08 a.m. Monday January 20, from the National Weather Service:

M.L.King Day: Patchy fog before 10:00 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 66. Breezy, with an east northeast wind 5 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 36. Wind chill values as low as 30. Breezy, with a northeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Wind chill values as low as 30 early. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 74. North northeast wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 77.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 75.

Friday Night: A slight chance of rain after 4:00 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Saturday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 57.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 56.