Southern Californians were bracing for high winds forecast to take hold Monday and Tuesday.
The wind kicked up on Sunday as wind gust of 97 miles per hour was clocked on a mountaintop overlooking Interstate 5 near Pyramid Lake.
Damaging wind gusts were predicted to sweep over the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita on Sunday and Monday, National Weather Service forecasters said.
The peak gust was recorded at about sunrise at Whitaker Peak, 40 miles north of the Los Angeles Civic Center.
With the winds, came predictions of small amounts of snow falling Sunday night and early Monday in the mountains north of Los Angeles.
Forecasters said snow could fall as low as 4,200 feet -- just above the 4,140- foot summit on the 5 Freeway over the Grapevine.
Showers would likely be confined to the northern slopes of the local mountains.
High wind warnings were issued for Sunday night into Monday morning as steep pressure gradients surrounding a low pressure system spin into the Southern California area from lower Alaska.
Peak gusts of 80 miles per hour were predicted in the Antelope Valley and other often-windy areas of northern Los Angeles County, according to the NWS.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
"Strong winds will likely cause power outages and possibly some property damage," forecasters said.
Gusts up to 60 miles per hour were predicted for Sunday night on the Grapevine-to-Castaic segment of Interstate 5 in the mountains north of Los Angeles. Scattered rain showers were also possible, turning to snow above the 4,200-foot contour on north-facing slopes.
The California Highway Patrol issued stay-away warnings all weekend to drivers of empty trucks, recreational vehicles and other objects prone to tipping over.
Wind warnings were posted on the 5 between the northern urban edge of Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley today. Also, the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway all the way to Kern County was flagged for dangerous gusts.
The winds were from the northeast, and were predicted to intensify in mid-afternoon Sunday. A high wind warning predicted sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts to 60 mph likely Sunday afternoon in that area.
