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Wind Wreaks Havoc Across Los Angeles
Gusty winds—some as strong as 60 miles per hour—blew across Southern California late Thursday night and on into Friday morning. Trees toppled, power went out, and fires raged as the city descended into mass chaos. Aren't you glad you're fleeing to Coachella today? Oh, wait.
Strong winds with downed trees in SFV and W. Hollywood. Mountain wave shown on Satellite. Tehachapi Wave. #cawx pic.twitter.com/lv1Y1pMBTe
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) April 15, 2016
Tens of thousands of LADWP customers are in the dark after winds knocked out power lines across the region, with CBS Los Angeles reporting that the hardest hit neighborhood is Northridge, with 32,000 customers without power.
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Trees also came down across the Greater Los Angeles Area. KNBC reports that Inglewood, West Hollywood, Northridge, University Park, and Arlington Heights all have toppling trees that have taken down walls, power lines, and crushed cars. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported by the winds, yet.
#Wind Massive tree goes down Superior St E of Zelzah. One man thankful his car wasn't crushed! @KNX1070 #KNX @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/gcNj8UgIJG
— Pete Demetriou (@knxpete) April 15, 2016
The dry conditions are also working in tandem with the gusts to spark blazes. A 15-acre brushfire has broken out near Santa Clarita, and firefighters battled a blaze that burned an empty home in Granada Hills:
Los Angeles County firefighters @LACo_FD on #NewallFire in Valencia at Newhall Ranch Rd. (Via @ABC7JulieSone) #cawx pic.twitter.com/SkQ06vzrpQ
— Ed Joyce (@EdJoyce) April 15, 2016
WATCH: Firefighters attack fire fanned by strong wind at vacant Granada Hills home. https://t.co/Z7zYPf3MPc pic.twitter.com/X4JvWRFwvY
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) April 15, 2016
VALENCIA UPDATE: Fire now at 15 acres; voluntary evac at Einstein Academy, per @LACoFDPIO https://t.co/xjiSxXj0yn pic.twitter.com/tLTYLVOeHl
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) April 15, 2016
The National Weather Service says gusts up to 80 miles per hour may be expected in the mountains, and a high wind warning remains in effect until noon.
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Stay safe out there, kids. Avoid falling palm fronds and have fun at Coachella:
This windstorm is God telling you he hates your floral headpiece for Coachella.*
— @LAScanner (@LAScanner) April 15, 2016
*So do I.
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