Gusty Santa Anas expected tonight after powerful winds topple trees, spark explosion
City of Los Angeles public works crew begins the process of removing a tree that toppled onto cars parked along 2200 block of Observatory Avenue in Los Feliz Thursday morning
Strong northerly winds reaching up to 50 mph brought damage overnight to parts of Los Angeles, toppling trees and a street light and sparking a transformer explosion.
Residents woke to find a downed tree on at least two cars in a South Los Angeles neighborhood near 46th Street and Broadway. In East Hollywood, video showed sparks flying from a transformer during peak winds. A streetlight came crashing down in the MacArthur Park area.
Homeowners in Granada Hills were awakened overnight by the roaring winds and found a tree toppled on the roof of their home.
A low-pressure system is to blame for the powerful wind gusts, said Dave Bruno, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. As the system moved east, a strong northerly wind pattern followed, he said.
Northerly wind events occur only a few times a year in the Los Angeles area, he said. Even more unusual is that the wind pattern swept over South Los Angeles because it typically passes through the foothills and canyons, Bruno said.
“That’s pretty impressive,” he said.
Winds clocked in at 50 mph in Van Nuys and the Malibu Hills. At the Santa Monica Pier, winds reached 40 mph.
The winds prompted forecasters to issue a red flag warning Thursday morning because of a high threat of fires.
The evening weather is expected to bring the first significant Santa Ana wind event of the season, said Scott Sukup, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Winds could reach 50 mph in the mountains, with gusts exceeding 60 mph, he said. In the valleys, wind gusts could hit 45 mph.
Firefighters have been preparing for the dry, downslope winds since September, when the season began. Fire agencies increased their staffing, pushed out public safety messages to residents and ordered aircraft to be on standby.
Temperatures will remain in the 80s, which is above normal for this time of year, he said.
By Saturday, trick-or-treaters will be feeling the heat. Temperatures could reach into the 90s, Bruno said.
However, next week will feel more like fall, he said. Los Angeles could get rain, and temperatures will drop into the 60s.
For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA
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