First Weekend Of Winter Off To Windy Start

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The first weekend of winter got off to a windy start, with gusts lashing the Southland on Saturday at more than 45 mph.

There were none of the wind-related power outages that plagued residents through the Christmas holiday.

But a fallen tree did cause a disturbance in Newport Beach when the wind knocked it across Bayside Drive, east of El Paseo, blocking both directions of traffic.

Between 6 and 9 a.m., strong winds out of the north whipped through canyons and passes along the 5 Freeway and Route 14, and in the Malibu area.

Peaks gusts included 51 mph at Chilao, near Mt. Wilson, 49 mph at Camp Nine above Pacoima, and 45 mph at Leo Carrillo Beach in western Malibu. At Cheseboro Canyon, just above Agoura Hills, top winds were clocked up to 49 mph.

It was also windy in the San Fernando Valley, with a peak gust of 28 mph reported at Van Nuys.

The National Weather Service issued an advisory for continued gusty winds out of the north lasting through 3 p.m. Saturday in the Santa Monica Mountains, the canyons and passes near Santa Clarita, along the Grapevine and in Ventura County.

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