The warm, windy conditions seen across the area Thursday — prompting a wind advisory and red flag warning — are expected to weaken and cool off a bit by Friday afternoon.

The National Weather Service on Thursday extended a red flag warning for Santa Barbara County’s mountain areas through 9 a.m. Friday, and issued a wind advisory for the South Coast through 3 a.m. Friday.

A red flag warning, which began at 6 a.m. Wednesday and was supposed to expire at 10 a.m. Thursday, was extended amid critical fire-weather conditions.

Gusty northwest winds — up to 50 mph in the mountain areas — and relative low humidity were expected to envelop the area through Friday morning, prompting the Santa Barbara County Fire Department to increase its staffing levels, according to Capt. David Sadecki.

Three additional fire engines, one bulldozer, one water tender and one battalion chief were made available throughout the Santa Barbara County area.

The 80-degree temperatures seen on the South Coast Thursday will dip slightly into the upper 70s on Friday and the lower 70s on Saturday, said Kathy Hoxsie, a weather specialist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard.

Hoxsie said cooler temperatures will bring lighter winds — this time from the northeast instead of the northwest.

Sunday and Monday are expected to be the coolest days, when the marine layer will remain late into the day with temperatures in the upper 60s.

The heat reprieve will be short-lived, however.

“We’re going to warm back up probably into the low 80s by the end of next week,” she said.

— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.