Santa Ana Winds Bring 70 Mph Gusts And Chance Of Widespread Power Outages

Santa Ana winds gusts reached 70 mph in Southern California on Sunday and could bring power outages and be followed by record heat in the coming week, according to authorities.

Areas of Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties are under a wind advisory until 2 p.m. Monday, while areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties are under an advisory until 1 p.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

"Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines," forecasters warned. "Risk is increased due to recently saturated soils. Widespread power outages are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles."

Peak winds on Sunday reached a high of 70 mph in the San Diego County foothills.

“Moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds will continue along the coastal mountain slopes, foothills, and into the valleys through Monday,” according to an afternoon area forecast discussion from the weather service’s San Diego office. “Periods of weaker Santa Ana winds will continue through the remainder of the week.”

Outside the San Diego County foothills on Sunday, peak winds were as high as 50 mph downwind of the Cajon and Banning passes, and 45 mph in the Santa Ana Mountain foothills and the valley of San Diego County and the Inland Empire.

“While offshore Santa Ana winds will continue through the rest of next week, the strongest period of winds is very likely to be this morning,” according to the forecast discussion. “Winds begin to diminish late this afternoon as the upper level low over central Baja California starts to move eastwards, and high pressure over the Great Basin weakens.”

In the Los Angeles area, the weather service warned of choppy, hazardous seas persisting through at least Tuesday, as well as warm temperatures later in the week, and no chance of rain until at least Jan. 20.

“Temperatures will warm a few degrees each day, peaking Wednesday and Thursday when high temperatures may be close to daily records,” the weather service’s Los Angeles office said in its afternoon forecast discussion.

City News Service contributed to this report.