Updated at 9:20 a.m., April 24, 2015
High winds will batter the Antelope Valley Friday and Saturday, raising blinding clouds of dust and sand on some major roads and reducing visibility to almost zero, National Weather Service forecasters said.
Southwest-to-west winds of between 20 and 30 mph and gusts of 45 mph will kick up Friday afternoon across much of the Antelope Valley, then gain strength and change directions, blowing west to northwest at sustained speeds of between 25 and 40 mph, with 60-mph gusts expected by Saturday morning, an NWS statement said. Strong winds will persist through early Saturday evening.
Some blowing dust is expected this afternoon, reducing visibility to around a half-mile, according to the NWS. More challenging conditions are expected Saturday.
“With the strongest winds, expect areas of blowing dust and sand causing visibility to lower to near zero at times across Highway 14 and portions of Highway 138 south of Rosamond …,” it said, referring to the Antelope Valley Freeway and Pearblossom Highway. The most powerful winds will lash the western Antelope Valley.
NWS forecasters urged motorists to drive with caution and be prepared for powerful crosswinds. They also urged area residents to secure outdoor furniture.
A wind advisory will be in effect from noon today until 9 a.m. Saturday and replaced Saturday morning with a more serious high wind watch — denoting an expectation of 58-mph gusts — through Saturday evening.
But even before today’s wind advisory went into effect, some strong wind gusts were recorded in the Antelope Valley this morning — 48 mph at Lake Palmdale, 39 mph at Poppy Park, 29 mph in Lancaster and 28 mph in Palmdale, according to the NWS.
The NWS forecast mostly cloudy skies Friday and highs of 51 on Mount Wilson; 62 in San Clemente; 63 in Laguna Beach; 64 in Newport Beach and Avalon; 65 in Saugus; 66 in San Gabriel and Mission Viejo; 67 in Pasadena, Burbank, Palmdale, Lancaster and Irvine; 68 in Anaheim, Fullerton, Yorba Linda, downtown L.A., Long Beach and at LAX; and 69 in Woodland Hills.
—City News Service