Intense Santa Ana winds buffeted Southern California on Saturday, with officials warning of damaging gusts and the potential of “small fire activity” through the weekend.
The gusty conditions are expected to continue across Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Saturday with moderate to strong Santa Ana winds persisting through Sunday, the National Weather Service’s area forecast said Saturday. The strongest winds will affect the San Gabriel and Santa Susana mountains, with “damaging gusts” reaching 60 to 70 mph.
The advisory said temperatures will continue to rise through the weekend, with widespread highs in the 80s. The Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday “could now see temperatures peak around 90 degrees by the end of the event.” The weather service said conditions are likely to cool early next week but forecast a “temperature whiplash” with another warm and dry spell expected to start on Wednesday.
High-wind warnings in the San Gabriel, Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains, including the Highway 14 corridor, remain in effect through 3 p.m. Saturday. Widespread wind advisories across the region are in place until 6 p.m. The weather service warns gusty winds can lead to “downed trees and powerlines as well as isolated power outages.”
No high-wind warnings are expected for Sunday, the weather service said, but advisories likely will continue with gusts mostly ranging from 35 to 50 mph. Strong winds can make travel difficult, the advisory warned, urging residents to take extra caution, including watching for falling debris and trees and, in high-wind warning zones, remaining in the lower levels of their home during a windstorm and avoiding windows.
Several small fires broke out across the area Saturday but were knocked down within hours by responding firefighters. One of the blazes was at a three-story home in the 8500 block of W. Oak Ct. in the Hollywood Hills. The Los Angeles Fire Department said more than 100 firefighters extinguished the blaze in less than two hours and reported no injuries.
