Santa Ana winds subside for Election Day, to pick up again Wednesday

There will be a break in the wind on Tuesday, in time for Election Day, following Monday's Santa Ana high wind warnings and advisories.

According to the National Weather Service, wind gusts topping 50 mph were recorded in the early morning hours Monday in the Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains as the Santa Ana wind event kicked in. Winds diminished through the afternoon and evening hours.

Tuesday, a chilly morning leads to a warmer afternoon, with clear skies and dry conditions. Below-average temperatures will continue. In the Los Angeles and Orange County metro areas, temperatures will reach 55 degrees at 7 a.m., when polls open. By noon, temperatures will reach a high of 72 degrees, then drop to 68 degrees by 4 p.m.

In the Inland Empire, it will be 50 degrees at 7 a.m., reaching 73 degrees by noon and dropping to 59 degrees when the polls close at 8 p.m.

North and northeast winds will pick up late Tuesday evening and overnight,  dropping temperatures between 15 to 20 degrees both Wednesday and Thursday. 

Beginning Wednesday, a stronger, more widespread and longer duration Santa Ana wind event will kick in, starting around 3 a.m. This will likely bring widespread critical fire weather conditions to wind-prone areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties into Thursday, according to the NWS.

All of the areas that were under red flag warnings Monday will be under another red flag warning starting 4 a.m. Wednesday morning and continuing until 6 p.m. Thursday, as will the Antelope Valley Foothills and San Gabriel Valley. The Los Angeles County coastal area stretching into downtown Los Angeles, along with Catalina Island, will be under a red flag warning from 7 a.m. Wednesday until noon Thursday.