Santa Ana winds blow down trees in Lake Balboa, San Fernando, Pasadena
Powerful Santa Ana winds toppled a large tree Thursday onto utility lines that then fell onto around 10 cars in Lake Balboa.
Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters responded to Victory Boulevard between Balboa Boulevard and Hayvenhurst Avenue, where they found the cars blocking driveways and a tree on top of one car, KABC 7 reported.
The tree fell onto one lane of Victory Boulevard and downed utility lines that hovered over and covered some of the cars.
LADWP crews work on removing large tree branches Thursday, March 14, 2024, that also took down utility lines and damaged vehicles on the 16700 block of Victory Boulevard in the Lake Balboa area of the San Fernando Valley as Santa Ana winds continued blowing through Southern California. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
LADWP crews work on removing large tree branches Thursday, March 14, 2024, that also took down utility lines and damaged vehicles on the 16700 block of Victory Boulevard in the Lake Balboa area of the San Fernando Valley as Santa Ana winds continued blowing through Southern California. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
LADWP crews work on removing large tree branches Thursday, March 14, 2024, that also took down utility lines and damaged vehicles on the 16700 block of Victory Boulevard in the Lake Balboa area of the San Fernando Valley as Santa Ana winds continued blowing through Southern California. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
LADWP crews work on removing large tree branches Thursday, March 14, 2024, that also took down utility lines and damaged vehicles on the 16700 block of Victory Boulevard in the Lake Balboa area of the San Fernando Valley as Santa Ana winds continued blowing through Southern California. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
LADWP crews work on removing large tree branches Thursday, March 14, 2024, that also took down utility lines and damaged vehicles on the 16700 block of Victory Boulevard in the Lake Balboa area of the San Fernando Valley as Santa Ana winds continued blowing through Southern California. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
LADWP crews work on removing large tree branches Thursday, March 14, 2024, that also took down utility lines and damaged vehicles on the 16700 block of Victory Boulevard in the Lake Balboa area of the San Fernando Valley as Santa Ana winds continued blowing through Southern California. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
LADWP crews work on removing large tree branches Thursday, March 14, 2024, that also took down utility lines and damaged vehicles on the 16700 block of Victory Boulevard in the Lake Balboa area of the San Fernando Valley as Santa Ana winds continued blowing through Southern California. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
LADWP crews work on removing large tree branches Thursday, March 14, 2024, that also took down utility lines and damaged vehicles on the 16700 block of Victory Boulevard in the Lake Balboa area of the San Fernando Valley as Santa Ana winds continued blowing through Southern California. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
Officials from the Department of Water and Power and LAFD responded to the scene, and LADWP personnel worked on removing the tree.
Meanwhile, the winds blew down a tree Thursday on Lucas Street in San Fernando. It was blocking traffic between Orange Grove Avenue and Huntington Street.
A tree was blown down on the 1700 block of Locust Street in Pasadena on Thursday. Streets were blocked by the fallen tree near Allen Avenue.
The Pasadena Fire Department reported on social media the Public Works Department was responding to the fallen tree.
A high wind warning was slated to be in effect until 4 p.m. Thursday in the Santa Clarita Valley, Malibu Coast, Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, the San Fernando Valley, the San Gabriel Mountains and the 5 and 14 freeway corridors. The National Weather Service called for winds of 25 to 40 mph in those areas, gusting up to 60 mph, with the strongest winds in the hills and mountains.
A less severe wind advisory was in effect until 4 p.m. for Catalina Island and the San Gabriel Valley, with winds anticipated at 20 to 30 mph, with isolated gusts potentially reaching 55 mph in foothill areas.
The unsettled weather is being accompanied by particularly cold air, meaning Southern California won’t be seeing the warm temperatures that typically come with a Santa Ana wind event. Forecasters noted that conditions will remain “quite chilly” in the mountains and the Antelope Valley.
There is a slight chance of showers — even a possible thundershower — Friday in LA County, but temperatures are expected to begin warming later in the weekend, with highs reaching the upper 70s and low 80s by Monday and Tuesday, forecasters said.