Strong Santa Ana winds will lash the Southland today as temperatures climb to heat wave levels.
The strongest winds will blow from mid-morning to early afternoon today and Thursday, according to a National Weather Service statement.
A high wind warning, heralding gusts of at least 58 miles per hour, will be in effect in both the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains until 2 p.m. Thursday. During that time, these areas will experience sustained northeast winds of between 25 and 40 mph, gusting to 60 mph, NWS forecasters said. Winds of this intensity can cause trees and power lines to topple and create difficulties for drivers, especially in high-profile vehicles, they said.
Overnight, gusts of around 40 mph were recorded in the San Gabriel Mountains.
A wind advisory, a status a notch below a high wind warning, will be in force in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys until 2 p.m. Thursday amid northeast winds of 15 to 30 mph and 45-mph gusts. Gusts of 55 mph are also possible.
In the San Gabriel Valley and the Los Angeles coastal zone — L.A. County beach cities, metropolitan Los Angeles, downtown L.A. and the Hollywood Hills — a wind advisory will be in force from 7 a.m. today until 2 p.m. Thursday. Winds of 15-30 mph with 45-mph gusts are expected.
Along the Orange County Coast, a wind advisory will be in force until 10 a.m. Friday, but a more serious high wind warning was issued — also scheduled to expire at 10 a.m. Friday — for inland areas of Orange County.
A high surf advisory — signaling high waves and strong rip currents — had been issued for the L.A. County coast, but it was canceled this morning.
Temperatures coinciding with the wind event will be near or at record levels, said NWS meteorologist Rich Thompson, adding that the conditions qualify for the term ‘heat wave.”
The NWS forecast sunny skies today and highs of 69 in Palmdale and Lancaster; 72 on Mount Wilson; 75 in Avalon; 78 in San Clemente and Saugus; 81 in Laguna Beach; 82 in Newport Beach; 84 at LAX; 85 in Burbank; 87 in downtown L.A. and Pasadena; 88 in Yorba Linda, Anaheim, Mission Viejo and Irvine; and 89 in Long Beach, San Gabriel, Woodland Hills and Fullerton.
The sky will turn partly cloudy on Saturday but temperatures will remain unseasonably high. On Sunday, however, a cooling trend will get underway and temperatures will drop — by around 10 degrees in many communities.
