Los Angeles is in for a warm, sunny Tuesday with a high near 80°F — but the National Weather Service is flagging elevated fire weather conditions across the region today as dry Santa Ana winds continue their run. Check the Los Angeles weather forecast before heading out and plan accordingly.
Today’s Setup
These are weaker Santa Ana winds than Monday’s event, but still enough to drive gusts up to 30 mph in valley areas near the LA/Ventura County line and up to 40 mph in the mountains. Offshore flow has suppressed the marine layer entirely, leaving wall-to-wall sunshine from the coast to the San Fernando Valley. Expect near 80°F at the beaches with mid-to-upper 80s inland. The real story is humidity: it crashes into the low teens — with some locations hitting just 8–12% — which is why the National Weather Service is calling for widespread elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions at lower mountain elevations and valley floors through today.
Fire & Air Quality Risk
Foothill neighborhoods like Altadena, Tujunga, and hillside communities above Burbank should stay alert and avoid any open burning. Indoors, run a HEPA air purifier to filter the fine dust and any smoke that gusty, parched winds can push through. For anyone hiking Griffith Park or Runyon Canyon this morning, a pollen count face mask cuts exposure to dust and particulates — it also helps with allergy symptoms, since dry offshore winds are notorious for stirring pollen and irritants. Keep allergy relief nasal spray handy if you’re sensitive.
Best Window To Be Outside
Winds ease through the afternoon as a light west-southwest sea breeze develops (0–10 mph). The calmest, coolest window for hiking or outdoor exercise is before 11 AM PT. Beach stretches from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach will be lovely with gentle breezes. Evenings cool into the upper 50s — prime conditions for an outdoor dinner if you’ve been thinking about upgrading to a new patio furniture set for the season.
Events Tonight & This Week
Florence + The Machine brings the Everybody Scream Tour to the Kia Forum tonight, May 19. No weather worries for the drive, but the cool evening air after the show calls for a Florence + The Machine t-shirt layered under a light jacket. Grab tickets on SeatGeek if you’re still on the fence.
Looking ahead, the Los Angeles Angels host the Athletics for a three-game homestand at Angel Stadium from May 20–22 under sunny skies — about as good as outdoor baseball gets. Perfect tailgating conditions all three nights. Deck out in a Los Angeles Angels jersey or a Los Angeles Angels fitted cap, and Find tickets on StubHub for any of the games.
Dinner Tonight
Warm and sunny calls for something light — pasta primavera or a quick vegetable stir-fry hits the spot without heating up the kitchen. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything delivered in time for dinner. Toss a rolling cooler with wheels in the car if you’re heading to Angel Stadium later this week.
Next Few Days
Wednesday stays sunny and warms a touch more, with a high near 81°F and light breezes — likely the peak of this warm spell. A brief morning coastal eddy may bring low clouds to shoreline neighborhoods before burning off by mid-morning. Then Thursday marks the turn: onshore flow strengthens, the marine layer rebuilds, and the classic May Grey pattern settles in through the weekend with cooler temperatures and morning overcast returning to the coast. Enjoy every bit of this sunshine window while it lasts — it’s a short one.
