Warm Winds Clear the Air, Push Temperatures Into 80s

Weak Santa Ana winds blew into Orange County on Wednesday, bringing two days’ worth of unseasonably high temperatures and clearer skies, according to WeatherData, which provides forecasts for The Times.

The northeasterly winds, which reached 25 to 30 m.p.h. in El Toro, are expected to continue through today and diminish by Friday, said WeatherData meteorologist Steve Burback.

“The winds aren’t strong enough to cause blowing dust across the county, except out east in the desert,” Burback said.

The winds hit Southern California on Tuesday night, lifting the nighttime temperature in El Toro to 70 degrees and Wednesday’s high for most of the county to 83 degrees.

Along the coast, waves reached 4 to 6 feet at Huntington and Newport beaches.

Today’s temperatures are expected to be slightly warmer with highs in the mid 80s inland and upper 70s along the coast.

“The wind will be fairly strong, but not as strong as Wednesday,” Burback said.

At the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, a wind warning was in effect through Wednesday night advising ground crews to secure aircraft if necessary, said Capt. Betsy Sweatt.

“From our perspective,” Sweatt said, “the windows are open, there’s a breeze going and it’s not too bad.”