LOS ANGELES—California was bracing in early November for another round of powerful winds that will cause humidity levels to drop and raise the risk of wildfires in much of the state.
For the second time in three weeks, a “diablo wind”—notorious in autumn for its hot, dry gusts—was expected to whip up starting in the evening across Northern California.
Forecasters issued red flag warnings for fire danger until Nov. 7 from the central coast through the San Francisco Bay Area and into counties to the North.
Sustained winds of 25 mph were expected in many areas, with possible gusts topping 55 mph along mountaintops, according to the National Weather Service.
During a diablo wind, common in the fall, the air is so dry that relative humidity levels plunge, drying out vegetation and making it ready to burn. The name—“diablo” is Spanish for “devil”—is informally applied to a hot wind that blows near the San Francisco region from the interior toward the coast as high pressure builds over the West. (AP)
