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 San Diego County through late Thursday.

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

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.

Southern California braces for a ferocious return of fire danger as the National Weather Service issues its most urgent warning for extreme fire weather.

With the strongest gusts expected on Tuesday, extreme fire condition threats will prevail until midweek, L.A.-area fire chiefs say.

The winds will come and go, with the strongest gusts expected early next week, especially next Monday night and into Tuesday, forecasters said.

After a weekend of reprieve allowing fire teams to continue making progress battling the deadly infernos burning in Los Angeles County, Southern California now faces another round of fire-fueling Santa Ana winds.

The Santa Anas are expected to be most powerful Monday night into Tuesday. Fire services across the region say they are ready.

A winter storm was on a track to sweep through Texas and Louisiana, across the Gulf Coast and deep into Florida, significant snow and ice in tow.

Southern Californians are bracing for gusty winds and a heightened risk of wildfires less than two weeks after deadly blazes that have killed at least 27 people and ravaged thousands of homes.

The Eaton Fire, which also started on Jan. 7, has burned more than 14,000 acres and has destroyed 9,391 structures in the communities of Pasadena and Altadena, according to Cal Fire. At least 17 fatalities have been blamed on the fire.