Cool, breezy days ahead with chance of midweek rain in Southern California

Moderately strong Santa Ana winds are in the forecast for the next few days in Southern California, combining with low humidity to create elevated fire weather conditions through at least Tuesday.

Gusts of 30 to 50 mph were predicted Sunday and Monday across wind-prone areas of Los Angeles county, with isolated gusts of 50 to 60 mph in some mountain and foothill locations, according to the National Weather Service.

Gusts of 64 mph were recorded Sunday at the Magic Mountain Truck Trail in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Temperatures is Los Angeles are expected to remain on the cooler side all week long, with highs in the 60s and lower 70s for cities including Pasadena and Whittier and most lows in the 40s.

A hard freeze warning was in effect until 8 a.m. Monday in the Antelope Valley, where overnight temperatures are expected to drop as low as 22 degrees. Similar overnight temperatures were predicted for the following day.

Forecasters warned that damage to outdoor plumbing could occur, and severe damage to crops or sensitive vegetation and harm to unprotected pets or livestock was possible.

Down the coastline, winds of around 15 to 25 mph were expected to blow across Orange County on Monday, with gusts of around 30 mph heading closer to the Santa Ana Mountains, according to NWS meteorologist Mark Moede.

Temperatures in Orange County will hang around the high 60s to mid 70s until Tuesday, when the winds are also expected to die down before a low pressure system makes its way towards the region, Moede said.

The system will bring a small chance for rain as early as Wednesday across the region.

The winds in San Bernardino and Riverside counties are not expected to blow as hard as elsewhere in the region, with speeds of around 5 to 10 mph and gusts up to 20 mph.

Temperatures across the Inland Empire will remain in the mid 60s to low 70s, with mountain residents seeing cooler temperatures in the 40s, Moede said.

The rain, which would arrive around Wednesday afternoon, is expected to continue through Friday.

Source: Orange County Register