Santa Ana winds blow through SoCal as temps warm up

It will be warm and windy in Southern California as February comes to a close.

Temperatures are expected to reach the 80s, with the hottest conditions expected on Thursday.

The National Weather Service forecasts the following highs for Thursday:

• Los Angeles: 84 F
• Long Beach: 85 F
• Pasadena: 86 F
• Woodland Hills: 86 F
• Malibu: 74 F
• Santa Clarita: 81 F
• Fillmore: 85 F
• Ventura: 81 F
• Lancaster: 78 F

Gusty #SantaAnaWinds will bring warm temperatures into the 80s and very low humidities Tue-Thu. Graphic shows projected max temps for Thu, likely warmest of the week and approaching record levels. #LAheat #LAWeather #cawx #Socal pic.twitter.com/Y1WAIAecbX

— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 25, 2020

In addition to the heat, Southern Californians should also brace for powerful winds. 

Moderate Santa Ana winds are hitting the Inland Empire, with gusts up to 50 mph recorded in the Cajon Pass on Tuesday.

“Steady offshore winds will persist into the afternoon” and will affect the 15, 210, 215 and 91 freeways, NWS said. 

While a wind advisory for the region won’t expire until Thursday at noon, winds were expected to be strongest on Tuesday morning.

Moderate #SantaAnawinds picking up across Inland Empire including gusts to 50 mph in the Cajon Pass and gusts to around 30 mph at Ontario #KONT airport — steady offshore winds will persist into the afternoon #CAwx affecting I-15, I-210, I-215 and highway 91 pic.twitter.com/K34EtuXvEX

— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) February 25, 2020

Much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties will be similarly gusty with a wind advisory for the region effective through 3 p.m. Wednesday.

As typical for a Santa Ana wind event, the strongest winds in the area are whipping through a stretch of the Highway 14 corridor in the L.A. County mountains to the western San Fernando Valley, as well as in eastern and central Ventura County, according to meteorologists.

Los Angeles County mountains could get gusts around 50 mph, according to the Weather Service. The strongest winds so far have been recorded at Boney Mountain in the western Santa Monica Mountains, where it gusted 57 mph at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Northeast winds could gust up to 35 mph from Malibu to the Hollywood Hills and up to 45 mph  in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, NWS said. 

The wind was a factor when a big rig crash ignited a brush fire on the Newhall Pass between Sylmar and Sant Clarita overnight, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. 

….and yes, #LAWind was a factor. Here is some more video from that big rig truck #fire last night that extended into brush in the #NewhallPass between #Sylmar and #SantaClarita.

: @OSV_405 @ONSCENETV https://t.co/jT1jPD8mFY

— LAFD Talk (@LAFDtalk) February 25, 2020

To read the article in English. ktla.com