LOS ANGELES, CA — Powerful Santa Ana winds will blow through the Southland Thursday prompting the National Weather Service to issue a wind advisory through the afternoon across parts of Los Angeles.
The National Weather Service warned of an extended windy period, peaking Thursday with wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour in the foothills and valleys and 75 miles per hour in the mountains.
By sunrise, the powerful wind had already caused havoc in some areas such as Lake Balboa where winds toppled a large tree into power lines that fell onto several cars on Victory Boulevard.
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The gusty Santa Ana winds are expected to pick up throughout the day.
“Today starts the transition into an extended windy period,” National Weather Service forecasters said Wednesday, adding that “moderate to strong” winds are anticipated to peak Thursday.
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A wind warning is in effect in the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, Malibu Coast, the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys, along with a portion of the San Gabriel Mountains until 4 p.m. Thursday.
Other impacted areas include Pacific Palisades, Northridge, Chatsworth, Woodland Hills, Van Nuys, Chatsworth, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and the Tejon Pass.
“Winds this strong may down trees and power lines, causing property damage or power outages,” according to the NWS. “Cross winds can make driving difficult, especially for drivers of high profile vehicles and vehicles towing trailers.”
Winds are expected to weaken Friday, but it’ll continue to be breezy into Saturday.
Warmer conditions are expected Sunday and Monday, with temperatures reaching into the 70s in many areas, and possibly into the 80s in some locations.
Authorities urged people to take precautions during the wind event. Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott noted that February’s deluge of rain has left the ground moist and increases the possibility of trees falling in high winds. He also reminded people to avoid coming into contact with downed power lines, saying people should “assume them to be energized and potentially lethal.”
City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.
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