Gusty Santa Ana winds that knocked down a large tree in Riverside and caused a power outage in Mecca Wednesday are expected to continue through the work week.
The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning that will be in effect through noon Friday in the Riverside metropolitan area, the Riverside County mountains and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning.
A wind advisory for the Coachella Valley will expire at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Gusts as high as 60 mph at Lake Matthews, 46 mph in Corona and 45 mph in Jurupa Valley were measured as of 3:30 p.m., according to the weather service.
In Riverside, a large pine tree was felled by the wind, crushing two vehicles and cutting power to two homes, though no one was injured.
An estimated 1,373 customers in and around Mecca lost power after the wind toppled several power poles.
The winds are not expected to elevate the risk of wildfires because humidity levels are around average and brush in the region is not critically dry, according to the weather service.
Conditions will be hazardous for high-profile vehicles traveling on highways, especially along Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 near the Cajon Pass and Interstate 10 through the San Gorgonio Pass.
The winds are expected to peak Wednesday evening before calming down slightly on Thursday and Friday, forecasters said. Weaker winds will persist through Saturday.
A warming trend that began Wednesday will continue into Friday and Saturday, when temperatures could reach the low 80s in some locations west of the mountains, the weather service said.