Meteorologists are warning that strong Santa Ana Winds could cause damage in areas of Southern California over the next couple of days.
Gusty northeast winds arrive Wednesday evening and continue into Friday morning, prompting the National Weather Service to issue high wind warnings for Orange County, Ventura, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties, the Santa Clarita Valley, and the Santa Ana Mountains and foothills.
Sustained winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour with gusts up to 75 miles per hour are forecast.
“Damaging winds will blow down trees,” the Weather Service warned in its daily bulletin. “Travel will be extremely difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.”
The strongest wind gusts are expected on Thursday.
“By Friday morning through the lunch hour, we’ll see one last gasp of those Santa Ana winds, and by the time we head into Friday night into Saturday, those winds will relax,” said KTLA 5 weather anchor Kaj Goldberg.
The warm, dry Santa Ana Winds will be followed by an area of low pressure on Friday, which could bring rain showers to lower elevations and snow in the mountains.