Cooler temperatures arrive in SoCal, but fire danger still high

After a week of often-oppressive heat, cooler temperatures are expected to give Southern California a cool-down Wednesday, but forecasters warned that the fire danger will remain elevated in some areas due to continued dry conditions.

A red flag warning of heightened fire danger will be in effect until noon Wednesday for the San Gabriel Mountains, the Antelope Valley foothills and the 5 and 14 freeway corridors

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"Despite the cooling conditions, very dry air at elevations above 2,000 feet has settled in, with fairly widespread humidities between 5% and 15% common over the mountains through early Wednesday," according to the National Weather Service.

"Onshore winds will increase at the same time, with gusts of 25 to 45 mph common over interior areas. This will likely result in Red Flag fire weather conditions in the interior mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County into early Wednesday."

Overall, however, a "major cool-down" is expected to start Wednesday and continue for the next few days.

"By early next week, temperatures could be 10 to 20 degrees below normal," forecasters said.

An excessive heat warning was in place until 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Palos Verdes Hills, the inland coast stretching to downtown Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, Calabasas and the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, where triple-digit temperatures persisted.

But with the cool-off beginning, the warning expired. A similar warning expired at 8 p.m. Monday in the Santa Clarita Valley, the Malibu Coast, Los Angeles County beaches, the San Gabriel Mountains and the 5 and 14 Freeway corridors.

"By Thursday, high temperatures in the 70s and 80s will be common region-wide, except a little cooler at the beaches," according to the NWS. "Only a slight rebound in temperatures comes on Friday as the upper trough moves farther away from the area."

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