Hazardous Driving Conditions In Antelope Valley As Experts Predict 50 MPH Wind Gusts

LANCASTER (CBSLA.com) — Wind advisories will be in effect until 9 p.m. Wednesday for the Antelope Valley creating hazardous driving conditions with gusts expected to reach 50 mph in parts of Southern California.

According to the National Weather Service, northwesterly winds are expected to continue across the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale through early Thursday, with the strongest winds expected across the northwestern portion of the Antelope Valley.

West to northwest winds from 20 to 30 mph are also expected to pick up through the Interstate 5 corridor from southern Santa Barbara County.

KCAL9's Jeff Nguyen was in Lancaster Wednesday afternoon, where northeasterly winds picked up at about 3 p.m.

Highway 14 remained open although visibility was reduced due to blowing dust and sand. The NWS is urging drivers to use caution as cross winds are considered dangerous for high profile vehicles and those pulling trailers.

Weather officials earlier Wednesday warned of advisories in Santa Clarita, where average wind speeds were estimated at 15 to 25 mph with 40 mph gusts.

Advisories follow a dust storm Tuesday in the high desert which caused a 20-car pile-up that closed State Route 14 in both directions for four hours, according to the California Highway Patrol.

"All the dust, it just closes in on you. The visibility has come down to zero," CHP Officer Gil Hernandez said.

The storm caused 18 dust-related accidents that results in several minor injuries, officials said.

"All the wind, all the sand, I couldn't see nothing," one driver added.

Some Lancaster residents have said conditions this week have been some of the worst they had seen in the area in decades.

"Its never been this windy here, ever. And I've been here for 30 years. It was crazy," Lancaster resident Athena Jones, whose house was damaged by the wind storm, said.

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