WEATHER

Largest Red Flag Warning in 2 years issued this weekend as Bay Area under critical fire danger

Friday, October 27, 2023

AccuWeather Forecast: Red Flag Warning in effect

A Red Flag Warning is now in effect for many parts of the Bay Area until 5 p.m. Sunday.

SAN FANCISCO (KGO) -- The largest Red Flag Warning in two years has been issued for the weekend and it includes much of the Bay Area.

All of the North Bay, the Inland East Bay, Santa Clara Hills, Santa Cruz Mountains and the San Mateo coastline are under critical fire conditions.

ABC7 Meteorologist Drew Tuma says that winds on ridgetops could now gust up to 60 mph.

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Tuma says that this is still shaping up to be the strongest offshore wind event of the season, with the strongest winds expected between 10 p.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday.

That's when the highest fire danger will be as any new fires could spread rapidly under these conditions.

This is the third Red Flag Warning of 2023, and the largest since October of 2021. There were no Red Flag Warnings in 2022, so residents may not have recent memory of these strong of winds.