Winds rush in, may stay to next week
Temperatures are forecast to be summerlike along the coast and in valleys.
Another round of powerful winds will bring Santa Ana conditions to Los Angeles and Ventura counties through the weekend, and possibly into early next week, forecasters say.
Winds could top off at 50 mph in the mountains and 45 mph in the valleys as a high- pressure system builds across the area through Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
As strong wind gusts sweep over the region, dry and warm conditions will push temperatures into the high 80s along the coast and in the valleys. Humidity will also drop into the single digits, which won’t help fire conditions in Southern Califor- nia.
Although higher- thannormal rainfall associated with El Niño has helped lessen the risk of wildfires in Northern California, drought- stricken Southern California hasn’t been so lucky, according to the National Interagency Coordi- nation Center.
Precipitation has reached only near- normal levels in Southern California, so high winds and warm and dry conditions could be problematic for the area for the next several days, forecasters say.
“No rain in sight for at least the next seven days,” said forecasters from the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Powerful winds topping 70 mph wreaked havoc in Southern California on Sunday and Monday, toppling trees and causing widespread power outages. In San Diego, strong winds knocked a massive tree onto a car in Pacific Beach, killing a woman inside.
Similar conditions are possible over the weekend, forecasters said.
Forecasters warned that high winds could create hazardous driving conditions, cause power outages and bring down tree limbs.
On Friday, high surf pounded coastal Central California, as well as beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.