A powerful windstorm is expected to intensify through the weekend, prompting officials to urge thousands of residents to stay indoors as hazardous gusts threaten to damage property and disrupt travel.
Roughly 42,000 people are under the long-duration alert, which began early Friday morning and will continue well into Saturday afternoon. Forecasters say the prolonged stretch of dangerous winds could create conditions capable of toppling trees, downing power lines, and sending loose debris airborne. High winds also pose serious risks inside homes—particularly near windows—where shattered glass or flying objects can cause injuries. Residents are encouraged to remain in lower levels of their homes whenever possible and avoid unnecessary travel until the storm passes.
The specific warning, issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Los Angeles/Oxnard at 2:03 a.m. PST Friday morning, covers the Santa Susana Mountains, the Eastern and Western San Gabriel Mountains, and the Highway 14 Corridor. Cities and communities included in the alert are Mount Wilson, Acton, Mount Baldy, Oat Mountain, the Angeles Crest Highway area, Mill Creek, Wrightwood, and Warm Springs.
Newsweek reached out to the NWS office in Los Angeles by phone for comment.
The high wind warnings remain in effect until 3 p.m. PST Saturday, with northeast winds of 25 to 35 miles per hour and gusts up to 55 mph expected across mountain passes, slopes, and nearby corridors.
The impacts could be significant: damaging winds may bring down trees and power lines, leading to “widespread power outages,” NWS meteorologists said. Travel is expected to be especially hazardous for high-profile vehicles due to strong crosswinds.
Residents still choosing to venture outside are being urged to watch for falling branches, blowing debris, and rapidly changing wind conditions. Officials advise that anyone who must drive should do so with extreme caution.
A much more widespread and less severe wind advisory has been issued from Central California through Southern California, encompassing millions of people. Sustained winds are expected to not be as significant as those with the high wind warning, although some isolated gusts could still top 60 mph.
“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” NWS San Diego said in a wind advisory.
As of Friday morning, around 3,300 people were without power in California, according to a map from poweroutage.us. The bulk of these outages were in Central California, and a reason of what caused the outage was not provided.
Strong winds also posed a threat for the same region earlier in the week, with NWS Los Angeles saying the windspeeds were expected to reach their peak on Thursday night.
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