Santa Ana Winds, Summer Weather Gusts Into Laguna Niguel

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA —Summer weather hits the shores of Orange County this week, the National Weather Service reported. What some southlanders call "2nd spring" this warming trend brings with it Santa Ana winds that will skyrocket temperatures int the 80s in some areas, and send temperatures as much as 10 degrees above normal, meteorologist Curt Kaplan says.

The region will experience weak to moderate Santa Anas through Thursday, with the strongest expected Tuesday and Wednesday, Kaplan said.

Sunny and windy conditions were forecast in Orange County, along with highs of 57 on Santiago Peak; 69 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 72 in San Clemente; 74 in Laguna Beach; 75 in Fremont Canyon; 76 in Newport Beach; 78 in Trabuco Canyon; 80 in Yorba Linda; 81 in Mission Viejo; 83 in Fullerton, Irvine, and Anaheim.

The pattern over the coming days will be mirrored over the next few days, with temperatures rising higher Thursday to the mid-80s, according to weather service models.

In L.A. County, a wind advisory will be in effect in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains and the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys from 7 a.m. Tuesday until 3 p.m. Wednesday, with northeast winds 20 to 30 miles per hour accompanied by gusts of up to 45 mph in all four areas, according to the NWS.

"Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects and make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles," warned an NWS statement. "Tree limbs could be blown down, and a few power outages may result. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high-profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects."

Wind advisories will be in place along the coast, in beach cities, Downtown L.A., Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Long Beach from 7 a.m. Tuesday until 3 p.m. Wednesday amid winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts of up to 35 mph.

Affecting temperatures will be the Santa Anas and a ridge of high pressure aloft, Kaplan said, noting that Downtown Tuesday will reach around 83 degrees or about 14 degrees above normal. In contrast, a high of approximately 82 degrees is expected in Woodland Hills, or about 11 degrees higher than usual. The high temperatures in Downtown on Thursday may reach 85 degrees, he said.

SoCal has had a mild winter, Kaplan said, with the region having received only about 70 percent of the typical volume of rain. Downtown L.A. should have had 10.43 inches, but so far has recorded 7.32.

The NWS also forecast sunny skies in L.A. County Tuesday and highs of 63 degrees on Mount Wilson; 69 in Palmdale; 70 in Lancaster; 74 in Saugus and Avalon; 78 at LAX; 80 in San Gabriel; 81 in Long Beach; and 82 in Downtown L.A., Woodland Hills, and Pasadena. Wednesday's temperatures will be about the same, but Thursday's, a few degrees higher.