According to the National Weather Service, strong winds from Santa Ana are expected to blow through Southern California from Monday night, with gusts up to 90 miles per hour in the mountains.
Widespread damaging winds are expected in Los Angeles County and the surrounding area. The wind has the potential to fall into trees or power lines from now until Wednesday.
Winds can blow from 60 to 75 miles per hour from the Hollywood Hills to Malibu and into the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, said Todd Hall, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The weather service issued a red flag warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties Monday night through Tuesday night.
“There’s a reasonable threat of power outages,” Hall said, and residents should be aware of their surroundings when going outside. Drivers should also expect windy conditions on Tuesday due to the gusty wind. The wind could also contribute to potential fire conditions, which are further exacerbated by a lack of rainfall, Hall said.
Due to the extreme conditions, Anaheim officials announced the closure of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution facility at Disneyland. Orange County began using the resort as a ‘super’ vaccination site last week. Due to the closure, the appointments will be rescheduled on Tuesday.
In Los Angeles County, Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby announced additional staff throughout the county.
In addition, the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management will be ‘alert’ to respond to conditions, said Kevin McGowan, director of the office. Residents should also be ready to evacuate “instant notice, especially if you live in ravine, mountain or foothill communities,” he said.
The Santa Ana winds are particularly cold this time. The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued a cold weather warning for some locations in LA County, including Lancaster and in the mountains, where temperatures are expected to drop below 32 degrees.
The National Weather Service is also urging shooters to be careful as well, especially around Catalina Island, where winds contribute to large swells. The weather service also warned of high waves and dangerous tornadoes until Tuesday night along the coast.