Strong winds, a little moisture possible in Southern California

LOS ANGELES — Strong winds blew across parts of the Southland today, especially the Antelope Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains.

A wind advisory that went into force Thursday will be in effect in the Antelope Valley until 10 o’clock tonight, as will a wind advisory scheduled to take effect in the San Gabriels at 10 this moing.

The National Weather Service forecast southwest-to-west winds of between 20 and 30 miles per hour and 50-mph gusts in the Antelope Valley, slowly dying down tonight.

“These winds will make driving high-profile vehicles difficult. The winds will also produce clouds of blowing dust and sand, which can locally reduce visibility to near zero at times,” waed an NWS statement.

The Antelope Valley (14) Freeway and Pearblossom (SR 138) Highway could be particularly problematic, NWS forecasters said, urging motorists to be especially cautious and to be prepared for strong, sudden crosswinds.

The San Gabriel foothills and the Lake Palmdale area -- both in the Antelope Valley -- will see isolated gusts of up to 55 mph during the peak of the wind event this moing through this afteoon, according to the NWS statement.

Southwest-to-west winds of between 20 and 30 mph were also expected in the San Gabriel Mountains, along with 45-mph gusts.

Crisp winds were forecast in areas where no wind advisory was issued -- 10 to15 mph along the coast and in metropolitan L.A, 10 to 20 mph in the Santa Monica Mountains, 15-25 mph in the San Feando Valley, and 15-25 mph with 35-mph gusts in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Also in today’s forecast is patchy drizzle and a 20 percent chance of rain in the L.A. area this moing. The chance of drizzle and light rain in Orange County this moing was described as light.

The NWS forecast drizzle and cloudy skies today and highs of 52 in Big Bear; 58 on Mount Wilson; 62 in Avalon; 63 in Laguna Beach; 64 in Rancho Cucamonga and Mission Viejo; 65 in Ontario and San Clemente; 66 in San Pedro, Santa Clarita, San Beardino, Newport Beach, Anaheim and Irvine; 67 at LAX, and in Torrance, Burbank, San Gabriel, Palmdale, Lancaster, Redlands and Fullerton; 68 in Pasadena, San Gabriel, Van Nuys, Woodland Hills, Northridge, Long Beach and Yorba Linda; and 69 in downtown L.A., Whittier and West Covina. About the same temperatures are expected Saturday. They will rise slightly Sunday and decline slightly Monday.