Strong wind gusts toppled big rigs and forced road closures north of Los Angeles Tuesday as a cold storm system moved into the region ahead of the holidays.
At least three big rigs and a delivery truck flipped near highways 58 and 14 in the high desert. Four more big rigs were reported on their sides south of the desert town of Mojave. At one point, the CHP counted more than a dozen toppled vehicles, said Officer Scott Wyatt of the Mojave office.
For a time, Mojave was battered with sustained winds of 70 miles per hour, with gusts up to 85, Wyatt said. The wind peeled off the roof of a building in Mojave's world famous airport/spaceport, and also blew over the massive metal awning at a Mojave service station.
No serious injuries were reported.
"It gave me a different respect for mother nature," said Dwight Merrill, a longhaul driver who had pulled over and stopped on the shoulder to wait out the storm, only to have a gust blow his 18-wheeler onto its side.
Unable to reach the highside door of the cab to get out, Merill noticed the windshield was cracked by the rollover, and ended up kicking it out.
"That was my only way of getting out of there," said Merrill, while commiserating at the Carl's Jr. in Mojave with another driver whose rig had toppled only 150 feet from his. Based in Arkansas, Merrill had planned to return home for Christmas, but said he's now resigned to the likelihood he won't be able to make it. In all his years in tornado country, he said he'd never encountered a wind like Tuesday's on the 14 freeeway.
Moderate to strong winds were expected to sweep the Antelope Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains into Wednesday. A wind advisory will be in effect until noon Wednesday in the San Gabriels and the Antelope Valley, with winds of between 20 and 30 miles per hour expected, along with 50-mph gusts.
On the 15 Freeway near the Cajon Pass, rain and heavy fog continued overnight and into the morning. Near the Grapevine, 60-mph gusts are possible, forecasters said, warning such gusts could make driving difficult, especially in high-profile vehicles.
"You could see the cars, but not the mountains," said driver driver Jose Jimenez, who was headed from San Diego to Victorville.
Sustained winds speeds of around 50 mph were reported in the Lancaster area.
With the chance of rain set at 60 percent during daytime hours but falling to 20 percent Tuesday night, there is a chance of rain Tuesday afternoon. The rain forecast in the Southland this week is the product of a series of storms forecast to cross California, with the highest chance of precipitation Tuesday expected in the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and in an area stretching from Santa Barbara northward.
No rain is in Wednesday's forecast, but there is a 30 percent chance of rain in the greater L.A. area Thursday afternoon, falling to 20 percent that evening. Christmas Day will be mostly cloudy. There is a 20 percent chance of rain that morning, giving way to a sunny afternoon, with temperature highs in the 60s.
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The storm system means holiday travelers throughout the state should plan on wet roads. Rain and snow are expected in Northern California, where the weather caused commuter problems and flight cancellations but also brought hope for one of the best holiday weeks for ski resorts in years.
The system could dump as much as 3 feet of snow on the highest peaks through Tuesday night, with accumulation totals expected to be around a foot at Lake Tahoe. Winter storm warnings were posted in the Sierra Nevada after the National Weather Service predicted heavy mountain snow during the holiday week.
Dozens of fender-benders and weather-related hazards snarled traffic Monday in the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco International Airport reported delays and dozens of cancelations because of strong wind. Showers were expected to continue into Tuesday.
Farther north, the California Department of Transportation reported several accidents on Highway 50, saying traffic was being held in portions of El Dorado County due to multiple cars spinning out. It said a high wind advisory is in effect along Interstate 80 in Yolo County. Motorists were required to use chains.
Elsewhere, rain, gusty winds and floods were possible on a stretch of the Pacific coast from Mendocino to the Oregon border.
Some rain was expected along the Central Coast, while gusty winds could hit much of southwestern California.
Surf was expected to grow, possibly bringing flooding in low-lying areas.
Vessel broke loose from its mooring due to high winds/rough seas. The owner has been contact to coordinate removal. pic.twitter.com/ZSniDj0SFz — LACoFD Lifeguards (@LACoLifeguards) December 22, 2015
City News Service, Annette Arreola and Crystal Egger contributed to this report.
