Photos: Winds Up To 100 M.P.H. Down Trees Across SoCal, Killing One Driver

Extremely strong winds from yesterday's El Niño-driven storm knocked down big trees across Southern California, causing at least one death.

The high winds ranged from 40 miles per hour to upwards of 100 miles per hour in some parts of the region and were strong enough to uproot trees big and small, including an 80-foot-tall one in in San Diego's Pacific Beach neighborhood. When that tree fell, it crushed three parked cars and one that was passing by, fatally injuring the female driver inside, reports the L.A. Times. The oak tree, eight feet in diameter, fell across Ingraham Street, south of Grand Avenue, according to NBC 7 San Diego. The identity of the woman has not yet been released.

"Even five seconds one way or the other and this wouldn't have happened," San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Capt. Joe Amador told the Times. "Our thoughts and hearts are with the family. We're in the life-saving business and it's hard when it doesn't turn out that way."

In other parts of Southern California, high wind speeds were recorded at 61 mph in Beverly Hills, 40 mph in Venice, 65 in Malibu Canyon and 80 mph in the Angeles National Forest,reports the L.A. Times. The strongest gust, at 115 mph, was recorded at Whitaker Peak, north of Castaic. As the winds swept across the region, they took many trees down along the way, including an enormous one in Echo Park.

A large tree blocked lanes along the 134 freeway in Burbank:

While a skinny tree fell on the southbound side of the 110 freeway near the 5, blocking a lane:

Which led to a bit of Crocodile Dundee-style competition over who saw the biggest downed tree:

Another 80 foot tree in San Diego landed on a home:

Winds even knocked down and shattered a concrete street light—which took down a fence—near LAX:

A fallen tree also landed on a parked vehicle near LAX:

And one came down in Redondo Beach, though thankfully no one was nearby:

And while the rain of Sunday has subsided, strong winds are still expected to last throughout Monday. Gusts could range from 25-40 mph and even as high as 60mph in some parts from L.A. to San Diego, according to KTLA.