High Wind Warning Could Bring More Strong Gusts
A high wind warning went into effect today in Riverside County, where forecasters are expecting winds of between 25 and 35 mile per hour gusting to 65 mph.
See: Video of the winds already hitting Rancho Cucamonga:
The warning issued by the National Weather Service went into effect at 6 a.m. today and was schedule to expire at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Winds will be strongest through and below passes and canyons, including the Cajon and Banning passes in the Inland Empire, the agency advised.
California State University, San Bernardino, has closed its campus because of danger from Santa Ana winds sweeping parts of Southern California.
Campus spokesman Joe Gutierrez says classes ended Friday morning and some 17,000 students were told to go home or to not show up. No wind damage is reported but Gutierrez says there’s concern because the campus sits in an area where wind gusts could hit 50 mph or more.
“Strong winds will make driving difficult, especially for motorists with high profile vehicles,” according to the Weather Service. “Freeways most likely to be impacted by strong winds include interstates 10 and 15, and highways 60, 91 and 55.
“Watch for downed trees and power lines,” the agency urged in an advisory.
A fire weather watch — one step below a red flag warning — is scheduled to go in effect at elevations below 4,000 feet from Saturday morning to Saturday afternoon.
