High Winds Cancel This Weekend’s Full Closure Of Westbound 91

CORONA, CA — A forecast of high winds has prompted the Riverside County Transportation Commission to cancel the full closure of westbound 91 in Corona that was planned for the weekend of January 21-24, it was announced Friday morning.

RCTC officials canceled the work to ensure the safety of construction crews, who were scheduled to place support structures over the 91 for RCTC’s 15/91 Express Lanes Connector Project.

The work will be rescheduled as soon as possible, officials said.

For project information and to register for construction updates, visit rctc.org/15-91connector or text CONNECTOR to 844-771-0995.

The closure was scheduled to force the closure of all westbound 91 lanes between McKinley Street and Main Street in Corona from 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24. The closure was needed to allow crews to put support structures over the freeway as part of the RCTC's 15/91 Express Lanes Connector Project.

RCTC, in partnership with Caltrans, began construction of the 15/91 Express Lanes Connector Project in April 2021 to build a link between the new 15 Express Lanes and the 91 Express Lanes. The $270 million project is designed to help reduce traffic congestion, improve safety due to less weaving among lanes, and improve travel time reliability between the two tolled facilities, according to the agencies. The connector is expected to open in 2023.

Fierce winds are expected to hit the Riverside County area Friday afternoon and continue into Saturday evening — arriving one day after less-intense Santa Anas whipped up dust and created a few hazards across the Inland Empire.

The National Weather Service has posted a high-wind warning from 3 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday, with forecasters predicting "damaging winds" that may knock loose power lines, snap trees and create driving hazards for high-profile vehicles.

The Santa Ana event will start as upper-level pressure gradients collide over Arizona and Utah, according to the weather service.

"Northeast winds will begin to develop over the northern mountains and Inland Empire late Friday afternoon," the NWS said. "Winds will be strongest on the coastal mountain slopes of the San Bernardino mountains, where gusts in excess of 70 mph are expected. For the Inland Empire and inland Orange County, expect widespread gusts of 40 to 60 mph."

Relative humidity levels are predicted to fall into the teens amid the strong winds, elevating fire danger throughout the region, according to meteorologists.

"Winds will diminish late Saturday into Sunday as the surface high pressure relaxes," according to the NWS.

The upside in the forecast is that the high pressure dominating the region during the Santa Anas will keep the skies clear, meaning sunshine through the weekend.

Daytime temps will range in the low- to mid-70s in the Riverside metropolitan area until Sunday, with lows in the mid-40s, according to the Weather Service.

In the Coachella Valley, highs will crest in the mid-70s, with lows in the low 50s, and in the Temecula Valley, high temperatures will remain in the upper 60s, with lows in the low 40s.