Wind Advisory Today; Strong Threat of Wildfires

Strong Santa Ana winds will buffet the Southland today, creating a threat of wildfires, forecasters said.

A wind advisory will be in effect until 2 p.m. along the Los Angeles County coast, in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, and in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountains.

“The combination of gusty Santa Ana winds and low humidities will bring elevated fire danger to the region,” said a National Weather Service statement.

Winds were expected to blow at sustained speeds of between 25 and 35 miles per hour with 55-mph gusts in the San Gabriels, slightly less in the Santa Monicas, 20 and 30 mph with 45-mph gusts in the Santa Clarita Valley, 15 and 25 mph with 40 mph gusts in the San Fernando Valley, and 15 and 25 mph with 35 mph gusts along the coast.

In Inland Orange County, a wind advisory is scheduled to be in force until noon. Forecasters say they expect winds of between 25 and 35 mph with 55- mph gusts, and isolated 65-mph gusts are possible along the coastal slopes of the Santa Ana Mountains, they said.

The NWS forecast sunny skies today and highs of 67 on Mount Wilson; 73 in Avalon; 76 in San Clemente; 78 in Palmdale, Lancaster, and at LAX; 79 in Laguna Beach; 81 Newport Beach; ; 83 in downtown L.A.; 85 in Mission Viejo; 86 Pasadena, San Gabriel, Burbank, Saugus and Irvine; 87 in Yorba Linda, Fullerton and Anaheim; and 89 in Woodland Hills. Similar temperatures are expected Tuesday.

--City News Service; Patch Photo Archive