The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued several Red Flag Warnings for various regions across Central and Southern California due to critically dry conditions and low humidity.
Monterey and Surrounding Areas
The NWS has announced that a Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 5 AM PDT Friday for the Marin and Sonoma Coastal Ranges. An extended warning is also in place until 9 PM PDT Saturday for the North Bay Interior Mountains, East Bay Hills, and Santa Cruz Mountains. Additionally, from 9 AM Friday to 9 PM PDT Saturday, the Santa Lucia Mountains, Mountains of San Benito County, Interior Monterey County, and the Southern Salinas Valley will also be under a Red Flag Warning.
Northerly winds are currently gusting between 20-30 mph, with Mount St. Helena experiencing gusts up to 64 mph and Mount Diablo up to 54 mph. These conditions, combined with near-historic levels of dry fuels, pose a significant fire risk. The Fourth of July holiday could further increase this risk due to the potential for stray fireworks igniting new fires.