As the clocks turned back early Sunday morning, the winds picked up, bringing strong winds to large swathes of Southern California on the first day of Daylight Saving Time.
Strong winds from the north are blowing through the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys and across the Santa Monica Mountains, increasing the risk of wildfires, the National Weather Service said. Some gusts reached 90 mph in Porter Ranch and the eastern Santa Monica Mountains, and winds in the 20 to 30 mph range were recorded at Santa Monica and Los Angeles International Airport.
“If you’re driving into the I-5 corridor, you’re going to run into some very strong winds,” said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the Oxnard Weather Service.
Winds will shift to the northeast tonight and are expected to continue into Monday. A red flag warning is currently in effect for Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
“It’s windy and the humidity is low,” Wofford said. “When you get that combination, you run the risk of creating the potential for a major fire.”
Temperatures across the Los Angeles area will be mild, with highs in the low to mid 70s on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to remain stable throughout this week.
