Extreme fire weather returns to Southern California - particularly Los Angeles and Ventura counties - as winds of up to 100 mph have prompted the most urgent warning from the National Weather Service.

(KWTX) -One of the major factors that made the January Los Angeles fires so devastating was the very strong Santa Ana winds. This week we are talking with Alex Tardy, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in San Diego,

A rare Particularly Dangerous Situation warning has been issued for Southern California as a powerful and potentially damaging Santa Ana wind event​ is expected.

This week, the Santa Ana winds are expected to hit the region, possibly sparking more fires in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and/or Ventura counties. The National Weather Service declared a rare PDS, or "particularly dangerous situation," red flag warning for the Los Angeles area ahead of this week.

As Southern California shifts into recovery mode after the devastating wildfires, residents should stay on alert on Monday and Tuesday with high winds returning. The National Weather Service has

Critical fire conditions are expected to continue through Friday. But rain could be on the way this weekend. Here's what to know.

Parts of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties all will be under a red flag warning beginning on Monday morning, the NWS said. The strongest Santa Anas are expected Tuesday morning.

A critical fire threat will continue across County as Santa Ana winds and dry conditions persist through early Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

An uptick in Santa Ana winds Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, combined with critically dry vegetation and low humidity, will result in elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions in County through late Thursday.

Meteorologists said there was a chance the winds would be as severe as those that fueled the Palisades and Eaton fires, but that different locations would likely be affected.

Not only do these winds accelerate the speed and spread of the fires, they also affect how the fires are fought. The strong winds can make it dangerous to fly aircraft used for containing the fires.

Much of inland San Diego County was whipped yet again by a strong Santa Ana wind event Monday into Tuesday, contributing to risky fire conditions as the region remains bone-dry.