Powerful Santa Ana winds will sweep much of the Southland from tonight through Saturday, threatening to topple power poles and trees as very low humidity combined with the wind create a danger of wildfire starting Friday afternoon.
“A strong Santa Ana wind event is expected for much of the Los Angeles and Ventura county wind-prone areas beginning late this evening,” said a National Weather Service statement. “Winds will strengthen Friday morning, then remain strong to damaging through Saturday afternoon.”
In L.A. County, a wind advisory will be in effect from 10 tonight to 3 a.m. Friday in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains and the Santa Clarita Valley. It will be immediately followed by a more serious high wind warning, which will be in effect from 3 a.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday. A high wind warning indicates winds or gusts of at least 58 mph; a wind advisory denotes 35- mph winds.
The wind in these areas are expected to blow at 20 to 35 miles per hour with 50-mph gusts tonight, then 25-40 mph with 60-mph gusts Saturday, forecasters said. Some gusts may reach 80 mph.
The NWS warned that the wind could make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles, especially on Interstate 5, highways 14 and 33, and canyon roads in the Malibu area.
In Orange County, a high wind warning will be in effect from 3 a.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Because of the wind and humidity levels of between 8 and 15 percent, a fire weather watch will be in effect from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon in the Santa Monica Monica Mountains and the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys. It was not extended to the San Gabriel Mountains because the humidity there is not likely to dip enough to warrant it, said NWS meteorologist Mike Wofford.
The NWS forecast a mix of sunny and partly cloudy skies in L.A. County Thursday and highs of 55 in Palmdale; 56 in Lancaster; 57 on Mount Wilson; 62 in Avalon, Saugus and San Gabriel; 64 at LAX; 65 in downtown L.A., Burbank and Pasadena; 66 in Long Beach; and 68 in Woodland Hills.
Sunny skies were forecast in Orange County, along with highs of 63 in San Clemente; 64 in Laguna Beach; 65 in Newport Beach and Mission Viejo; 66 in Yorba Linda, Fullerton and Anaheim; and 67 in Irvine.
Temperatures will be similar Saturday in some communities and several degrees lower in other.
