Critical Fire Weather Conditions, Smoky Skies In San Diego

SAN DIEGO, CA – A red flag warning has been extended through Sunday night as critical fire weather conditions are expected to continue across San Diego County.

Periods of strong Santa Ana winds and very low humidity are forecast, according to the National Weather Service. Winds will gradually weaken Friday and Saturday, but fire weather conditions are expected to linger in some areas through Sunday.

"A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly," the weather service said. "A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior."

Here are the weather conditions the National Weather Service is forecasting for San Diego through the weekend:

Friday
Areas of smoke after 10am. Sunny, with a high near 76. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.

Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 79.

Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 57.

Image by Autumn Johnson, Patch Staff