With the Los Angeles area’s major wildfires all nearing full completion, cooler and drier weather will dominate for the next few days — with no signs of any immediate return of dangerous Santa Ana wind conditions or precipitation that could spark debris flows.
National Weather Service forecasters said Tuesday’s high temperatures will be about 3 to 6 degrees below normal, followed by “chilly” overnight temperatures into Wednesday, possibly meaning more frost or freeze warnings in some areas.
Cooler temperatures “will remain over the next several days with daytime temperatures remaining below normal for this time of year,” according to the NWS.
A warming trend is anticipated by the weekend, pushing temperatures back into the 70s for most coastal and valley areas, thanks to a “weak offshore flow” between Saturday and Monday.
Forecasters said there is a potential for some rain by the middle of next week, but it was still too early if it will actually develop and how strong the system might be.
As of Tuesday morning, the Eaton Fire in the Altadena and Pasadena areas was 99% contained after burning 14,021 acres, with repopulation efforts completed.
The Palisades Fire was 95% contained after burning 23,448 acres. Evacuation orders and warnings have all been lifted.
The Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake has burned 10,425 acres since breaking out last Wednesday, but it was 98% contained as of Tuesday.
The fires have thus far claimed 29 lives — 12 in the Palisades Fire area and 17 in the Eaton Fire.
The causes of the Eaton and Palisades fires remain under investigation. Both erupted on Jan. 7 as the area was under a red flag warning for critical fire danger due to a historic wind event that saw gusts of 80 to 100 mph.
More than 16,000 structures were destroyed in the two fires, according to Cal Fire.
By the time all the damage is assessed, the fires are expected to constitute the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history.