Strong Winds Expected to Roll Through Region This Week

Strong Santa Ana winds were expected to develop in Riverside County Wednesday.

The National Weather Service scheduled a high wind warning for Riverside’s metropolitan areas and mountains from 4 a.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Friday, saying high pressure over the Great Basin and low pressure over Northern Baja will produce increasing strong -- and potentially damaging -- northeast winds. The warning did not extend into the Coachella Valley.

The NWS said sustained winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour and gusts of up to 50 mph were likely Wednesday, followed by sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts up to 60 mph Thursday morning.

“Peak wind gusts in the wind-prone valley and foothill areas will be 60 to 80 mph,” according to the agency.

As for Lake Elsinore specifically, NWS predicts wind gusts could get up to 10 mph on Wednesday— and up to 25 mph on Thursday.

Motorists were advised to watch out for broken tree limbs, downed power lines and blowing dust.

— City News Service contributed to this report.

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