WEATHER

Millions are cautioned to prepare for potentially deadly winds reaching 100 mph

January, 08, 2025-02:10

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Millions are cautioned to prepare for potentially deadly winds reaching 100 mph

Tens of millions of Americans are currently under weather alerts as severe winds approach the West Coast, while an Arctic front brings freezing temperatures to the East. Authorities have advised residents in Southern California to prepare for Santa Ana winds that may reach speeds of up to 100 mph, heightening the risk of wildfires and power outages. Counties including Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Ventura, and San Bernardino are forecasted to experience gusts ranging from 50 to 70 mph, with the potential for gusts to reach 100 mph. "This will be a hazardous and potentially damaging windstorm affecting areas from the Santa Monica Mountains to Hollywood, Burbank, Beverly Hills, and Malibu," stated Dan DePodwin, Senior Director of Forecasting Operations at AccuWeather.

Meteorologists at AccuWeather anticipate that the winds will subside by Thursday as the storm responsible for them moves away from Southern California, transforming into a winter storm that will traverse the country later in the week. "As the storm progresses into the South Central states later this week, it will interact with the cold air in the Plains, resulting in wintry conditions across the area," noted Brett Anderson, Senior Meteorologist at AccuWeather. The storm's trajectory may reach as Far East as Washington DC, Philadelphia, and New York City this weekend, bringing snow and causing travel disruptions. In the meantime, the eastern United States has also been warned to prepare for extremely low temperatures that are expected to persist throughout the following week, as waves of Arctic air extend as far south as the Gulf Coast. Temperatures may plummet by 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit below the seasonal average, affecting regions from the northern Plains and Midwest to the interior Southeast during the first two weeks of January, according to meteorologist Alex Duffus from AccuWeather.

The winds are expected to subside on Thursday as the storm responsible for them moves away from Southern California, transitioning into a cross-country winter storm later in the week. In Southern California, strong winds may cause tree limbs and power lines to fall, prompting utility crews to implement public safety power shutoffs to reduce the risk of downed lines igniting wildfires, which will contribute to the overall number of outages. The windstorm poses a threat to inadequately built structures, and transportation, particularly on major highways, may be affected by hazardous crosswinds. Major airports in the region, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), may also face delays.

While downtown Los Angeles and San Diego are likely to avoid the most intense winds, they could still experience gusts exceeding 30 mph on Tuesday night and Wednesday. The Santa Ana winds, often referred to as the "devil winds," are characterized by their extremely dry and high-speed nature, blowing from the inland mountains to the coast in Southern California, typically peaking over a 12 to 24-hour period. These winds originate from high-pressure air masses in the Great Basin, which push cooler air toward this region of the Golden State. Although this weather phenomenon is most common in October, it can occur at any time of the year if the appropriate conditions are present. The presence of these winds significantly heightens the risk of wildfires, as they dry out vegetation and elevate air temperatures. Once a fire ignites, Santa Ana gusts can facilitate its rapid spread throughout the area. This week, a high-pressure system in the Great Basin has interacted with a developing storm in north-western Mexico, resulting in the windstorm observed on Tuesday, as noted by AccuWeather Meteorologist Gwen Fieweger.