Strong Winds Lash Southland, Flip 2 Trucks

Powerful winds whipped across Southern California early today, toppling trees and power lines and flipping large trucks like small toys.

A high-wind warning was posted through nightfall for parts of Southern California and the Montana Rockies.

Wind gusts before dawn today were clocked in excess of 65 m.p.h. at the Ontario International Airport in San Bernardino County. A wind gust to 78 m.p.h. was reported at Laguna Peak near Port Hueneme.

Blowing dust and sand virtually eliminated visibility on some sections of the San Bernardino Freeway, and at least two big rigs were flipped on their sides by the powerful gusts, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Two lanes of the northbound Santa Ana Freeway in Tustin were blocked by a tree felled by the strong winds.

In the San Fernando Valley, about 2,400 homes and business were without power most of the morning in Chatsworth, Canoga Park and Granada Hills. A Department of Water and Power employee working in a cherry-picker in West Hills was struck on the head by a falling branch and hospitalized with for minor injuries, a DWP spokeswoman said.

Strong winds in Chatsworth tore a large billboard away from its frame on busy Devonshire Boulevard and blew down trees that crashed into two parked cars. Police reported that numerous traffic signals were out throughout the West Valley.

Brief Power Outages

The winds also caused brief scattered power outages throughout the San Bernardino area, affecting up to 25,000 people between midnight and 8 a.m., Southern California Edison spokesman Bob Krauch said.

In Milpitas, near San Francisco, a freak windstorm late Thursday night tore the roof off a house and propelled the family’s toolshed 250 feet into a front yard. Pieces from the windblown roof broke a neighbor’s picture window.

“All of a sudden I heard a real loud whistling sound, then the house started shaking and I went to grab my daughters to get out of the house,” owner Robert Richards said. “It happened in 10 seconds. I had no warning at all.”