Violent Wind Expected to Strike Again

Santa Ana winds gusting just as strongly as those that battered Southern California early Wednesday were expected to torment the region again through this evening.

Winds blowing 40 to 50 m.p.h. began in some areas late Thursday afternoon, and forecasters said they would continue at the same intensity through much of the day today--with gusts up to 70 m.p.h. in mountains and passes.

“It will be pretty wicked out there, I’m afraid,” said Dan Bowman, a meteorologist for WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times. “It could be just as strong in some areas as the other day.”

By 4 p.m. Thursday, visibility was reported near zero in the Antelope Valley and Mojave Desert as a result of sand kicked up by wind gusts reaching 45 m.p.h. Officials advised against travel in the two areas because of the low visibility.

The new winds began to arrive just as many Southland residents finished sweeping up debris scattered by the previous gusts, which battered homes, felled trees, toppled trucks and planes and resulted in at least one death.

“It’s been crazy,” said Monica Storey, a secretary at Steven’s Tree Experts in Pasadena, whose 10 phone lines had been ringing non-stop since Wednesday. “One woman called and asked if we remove trees from bathrooms. I had to laugh. She said the tree literally went through the bathroom roof. She called it an instant skylight.”

Terry Smith, manager of Johnson’s Tree Service in Monrovia, said he had received several calls “before 6 a.m. Wednesday--and I don’t even open until 7.”

For two days, Smith said, he dispatched four three-man crews. But they could only handle the worst emergencies, such as trees blocking streets, flattening vehicles or landing on roofs, because “I was three to four weeks backlogged to begin with.”

Work for Roofers

Roofers also had more business than they could handle. Some, including Don Henderson, the owner of Devon Roof Co. in Pasadena, were telling residents to hold off their service requests until the new winds die down.

“There are a couple of repairs that I’ve just plain told them to wait because the winds are supposed to start up again and there would just be more damage,” Henderson said.

The new winds couldn’t have come at a worse time for Southern California Edison Co. power crews, who have been working without sleep in the San Gabriel Valley since 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Don Meyer, area manager for the power company’s Monrovia district, said 270 Edison employees from cities not affected by the winds have been called in to supplement his work force of 40.

The crews, working an area from La Canada Flintridge to Irwindale, were still trying Thursday afternoon to restore service to 350 customers who have been without power since early Wednesday.

“If the severity of this storm is greater than Wednesday’s, we’re going to have to ask for more outside crews to give these guys a break,” Meyer said.

“They seem to have an endless amount of energy during these times. They haven’t slept for two days and many of them have taken meals only after 8 to 12 hours of work.”

Bowman said temperatures should reach the mid-60s today and the sky should remain clear--so “you can watch your lawn furniture visit the neighbor’s house.”

The winds are expected to die down late tonight, with mild breezes expected for the weekend.

Temperatures Saturday should reach the low 70s and on Sunday could climb to the upper 70s through much of the Los Angeles area. With continued clear skies predicted, “it will be a great weekend for finding that furniture,” Bowman said.

The temperature Thursday reached a high of 68 degrees at the Los Angeles Civic Center, one degree below normal. The low was 48 degrees, also one degree below normal.

Relative humidity ranged from 24% to 52% at the Civic Center, according to the National Weather Service.