National Weather Service issues fire weather watch

SAN DIEGO – Amid a run of unusually warm, dry weather, the predicted return of gusty, arid Santa Ana winds prompted the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch that's set to go into effect tonight in parts of San Diego County.

A fire weather watch signifies that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur and could develop into a red flag wildfire warning, according to the NWS. The watch will go into effect tonight and continue until Friday morning in San Diego County's inland valleys and mountains, including the Palomar and Descanso ranger districts of the Cleveland National Forest.

Santa Ana winds that prompted the watch will increase during the day Thursday and peak Thursday night into Friday morning, forecasters said. The northeast winds are expected to be 20 to 30 miles per hour, with isolated gusts of up to 65 mph.

Meanwhile, humidity levels are expected to be in the single digits each day this week, and temperatures are forecast to remain about 15 to 20 degrees above average each day through the end of the week. High temperatures in the inland valley areas will be 78 to 83 degrees today, 76 to 81 on Thursday and 80 on Friday. In the mountains, high temperatures today will be 68 to 75 degrees, 64 to 72 on Thursday and Friday.

"Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and be difficult to contain,'' the weather service warned. "Outdoor burning should be avoided.''

The fire weather watch comes as firefighters continue working to fully contain the Lilac Fire, which broke out last Thursday and scorched 4,100 acres in North County between Fallbrook and Oceanside. It also comes as crews in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties attempt to control the Thomas Fire, which is now the fifth largest in state history with 236,000 acres burned.