San Diego County is under a critical fire weather warning as Santa Ana winds strengthen and temperatures warm across Southern California.

The warning issued by The National Weather Service is in effect until 7 p.m. Monday.

As the work week starts, temperatures should stay 10 to 15 degrees above normal. Dry, windy conditions and low humidity are expected Monday.



Winds will pick up after 10 a.m., according to NBC 7's Whitney Southwick.

"This is very unusual for us to have these strong Santa Anas this time of the year," Southwick said.

The warning was issued due to a combination of extreme weather conditions that have the potential to spark and quickly spread wildfires.

Cal Fire San Diego is increasing staffing during the period of elevated fire danger. An additional 120 firefighters will be on call in case of any wildfires that spark. Two helicopters and three air tankers were also on hand.



People who live in the area of the Lilac Fire are hoping there isn't a repeat of last month's devastation. Sean Carlson, of Bonsall, told NBC 7 has a "go bag."

"I've got stuff that's really important in a box," he said. "Birth certificate and what not. I always figured if you can buy it, it can be replaced."

Nighttime is also a concern for firefighters.

"During a high wind Santa Ana event, some of our biggest problems are at night because we have reduced visibility, but the wind carries the fire and carries embers. It's a big problem at nighttime," Chief Bob Pfohl with the Viejas Fire Department told NBC 7.

Temperatures were 12 to 22 degrees above average for areas west of the mountains in Southern California Sunday. Daytime high temperatures at the coast and in the inland valleys jumped into the high 80s and low 90s Sunday.

A sharp warming trend will arrive this weekend / High temperatures will be 12-22 degrees above average west of the mountains by Sunday / #cawx #SanDiegoWX pic.twitter.com/NfHJtBPqQ2 — NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) January 26, 2018

The NWS said some areas saw wind gusts top 60 miles per hour Sunday.

The highest gust recorded by 4 p.m. was on Sill Hill, south of Julian near Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, where an isolated wind gust reached 89 mph, the NWS said.

Big Black Mountain, northwest of Santa Ysabel recorded one 79 mph gust, and Alpine recorded gusts in the low 60s.

Winds could also make driving difficult, especially for motorists with high profile vehicles. The NWS warned drivers to be on the lookout for fallen branches or tree limbs.

On Sunday, a tree limb fell onto Interstate 15 in Rancho Bernardo, temporarily blocking one lane, California Highway Patrol said. Caltrans was called the scene was cleared within an hour.

About an hour later, a semi-truck on I-8 near the Buckman Springs rest area flipped over due to gusty winds, CHP said.

Morning, San Diego! Somebody tell the weather it is January not July. We will see a RED FLAG WARNING go into effect tonight until Monday. In SD’s #FirstAlert 10 Day Forecast, when to expect the hottest temps & strongest #SantaAna winds. Wake up w us on #NBC7 @ 7-8AM pic.twitter.com/ARpMhs3chq — Liberty Zabala FOX 5 (@Liberty_Zabala) January 27, 2018

On San Diego County's first full day under fire weather warning Sunday, San Diego Gas & Electric shut off power to about 3,800 customers in east and northeast parts of the county. SDG&E said Sunday power "will remain out for at least one day" and that these outages were for safety reasons.

By 7 p.m. Sunday more than 2,000 customers were still without power.

For those of you who had your energy shut off due to high winds power will remain out for at least one day. When conditions are safe we’ll be in the area to assess the electrical system & determine when your power can be restored. We apologize for the inconvenience. — SDG&E (@SDGE) January 28, 2018

SDG&E established two "mobile customer care centers" to provide wi-fi, water, snacks and a charging station for those affected by the outages. More information can be found here.

The outages were set as a precaution against wildfires. With the combination of high temperatures, gusty winds and low humidity, any fires that develop could spread quickly.

On Sunday, a small brush fire erupted near the State Route 125 and SR-54 junction in Eastlake. CHP said the fire quickly spread up a hillside, but firefighters were able to quickly contain the blaze.

CVFD Batt. Chief David Albright said although they were quickly able to contain the blaze, it should serve as a reminder of how dangerous these conditions can be.

“Important for folks to remember even with the little bit of rain we had, with the red flag warning fires can still spread fairly rapidly and this was a good example of this,” Albright said.



Because of the ease with which a fire can spread, outdoor burning of any kind should be avoided. Simple activities such as mowing your lawn, hitting a rock or welding could spark a devastating brush fire.

It may be January, but the weak rainy season has left the vegetation very #dry. As a result, the #wildfire risk will increase Sunday-Monday when #SantaAnawinds arrive. #cawx #SanDiegoWX pic.twitter.com/AuNbIKehB1 — NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) January 26, 2018

Staffing levels remain as high as they did during the summer due to a swarm of wildfires across Southern California during the winter months, including the devastating 4,100 Lilac Fire that erupted in North San Diego County in December.

The NWS cited a weak rainy season as a reason the region is experiencing fire weather in the midst of winter.

“It may be January, but the weak rainy season has left the vegetation very dry. As a result, the wildfire risk will increase Sunday-Monday when Santa Ana winds arrive,” the NWS tweeted.

Fire weather conditions will weaken after the red flag warning expires Monday but could return late next week.