The National Weather Service office out of Los Angeles has issued a high wind watch and fire weather watch for the majority of Santa Barbara County. The watch lasts tonight through Wednesday morning.
The mountains may experience gusts of 70-80 mph, with isolated gusts of 90 mph. The valleys should be calmer at 60-75 mph, and the coast will have 50-65 mph winds.
Santa Ana winds may cause downed tree limbs and/or power lines, property damage, critical fire weather conditions and dangerous driving conditions for high-profile vehicles. Residents should avoid activities that may spark fire.
The coast of South Santa Barbara County may experience waves of four to eight feet through Tuesday. NWS recommends beachgoers stay out of the water and not turn their backs toward it either.
The winds follow a weekend of clear skies and hot days. Beaches were abustle with locals savoring the warm January weather.
Saturday, Santa Barbara broke its previous record high for Jan. 16, at 87 degrees. Sunday stayed hot, reaching a high of 84 degrees, but it did not break the outstanding record.
email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
