A strong wind blowing from the northwest raked parts of Los Angeles and Riverside counties Sunday, and gale warnings were posted for the coast.
Peak winds were clocked at 41 miles per hour at the Palmdale airport, as the deserts got socked by the winds. Winds in the Antelope Valley were forecast to peak at 45 mph before 9 p.m.
The National Weather Service raised gale flags for the Santa Monica Bay and Santa Catalina Channel, with winds up to around 40 miles per hour forecast to whip up seas to 6 to 8 feet, with swells every 8 seconds. Mariners were warned about severe conditions.
Winds were blowing in the 20 mile per hour range in the Santa Monica Mountains and midday, and sustained winds above that were reported in the Antelope Valley.
In Palm Springs, police closed three roads near the windmills and Whitewater Wash due to a sandstorm, with winds blowing in the Coachella Valley near 50 mph or slightly higher.
The closures began at 4:30 a.m. and remained in place indefinitely.
The closures include:
–North Indian Canyon Drive between Garnet Avenue and Tramview Road,
–North Gene Autry Trail between Salvia Road and East Via Escuela, and
–Vista Chino between Clubhouse View Drive and Carmela Drive
–City News Service, staff