royal panalo Fire-Friendly Weather Predicted for Parts of the High Plains and Southern California

A dangerous mix of strong winds, unseasonably warm temperatures and parched landscapes has created conditions favorable for wildfires in the southern High Plains and in Southern California this week.

The names of the students have not been made public. The family of the targeted student had said in a statement published on Friday in The Gettysburgian, the college newspaper, that their son became “the victim of a hate crime” when a teammate used a box cutter to etch a slur against Black people across their son’s chest at an informal swim team gathering on Sept. 6.

A ‘critical’ risk on Monday

The central and southern Rocky Mountains are set to get strong westerly winds on Monday, driven by a weather system moving through the Plains. Wind gusts reaching 25 miles per hour are possible across southeastern Colorado, the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, eastern New Mexico and western Texas. Gusts of up to 50 miles per hour are possible in parts of eastern New Mexico and western Texas, where the National Weather Service has issued wind advisories. Low humidity levels are expected in the afternoon, especially across western Texas.

“Western portions of Texas are in exceptional drought,” Frank Pereira, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center, said. “The fact that you’ve got a dry cold front coming through with little to no moisture and strong winds means you’re adding more fuel to the fire.”

Vegetation across the region has already begun to dry out, and forecasters warn that Monday’s weather could parch vegetation even further. In response, the Storm Prediction Center has issued “critical” fire weather warnings for these areas, and has said there is a 70 percent probability of conditions that are ripe for wildfires.

Wildfire risk forecast for Monday

Areas of elevated and critical fire risk.

idn33 slot -->

Note: Data is as of 10:46 a.m. Eastern on Monday, Dec. 30. Source: National Weather Service

By John Keefe

A risk for Southern California, too

In Southern California, it will be dry and clear until at least Thursday, and forecasters expect the infamous Santa Ana winds to develop in the area. The winds are expected to peak between Tuesday and Wednesday, posing a wildfire threat in areas of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.royal panalo

• For
• royal panalo
• Weather
• Fire-Friendly
• Predicted