Strong Santa Ana winds, unseasonably high temps hit Southland

FONTANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Strong Santa Ana winds and unseasonably high temperatures are hitting Southern California this week with temps reaching the upper-80s in some regions.

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Blustery winds swept through Porter Ranch, Saugus, Malibu Hills and the Newhall Pass overnight. Gusts clocked in as high as 45 to 50 mph.

The wind was moderate in the Fontana area Thursday morning, with gusts only hitting about 20 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Still, motorists driving high-profile vehicles were advised to drive carefully.

A high wind warning is in effect until 10 a.m. Friday for the Orange County inland, the Riverside County mountains, San Bernardino County mountains, San Bernardino and Riverside county valleys, the Inland Empire, San Diego County mountains, San Diego County valleys, San Gorgonio Pass near Banning and the Santa Ana mountains and foothills. A wind advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. Friday for Orange and San Diego coastal areas.

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The wind is grounding business for paragliding instructor Stephen Nowak with Crestline Soaring Society.

"The wind is too strong. It's coming down the mountain, and we can't launch. You have to run faster than the wind, and we can't run faster than this," Nowak said.

The wind isn't slowing down Jacqueline Denise, a construction worker in Devore.

"The wind is something else. It's a little dangerous when you're out here and when you're working, but I have to do what I have to do," Denise said. "It's a windy day. Just hold on to everything and drive slow and take your time to get to where you have to go."

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In addition to the wind, the Southland is being hit with higher than average temperatures for this time of year. At 6:30 a.m., temps had already climbed to low-70s in Fontana, and things were expected to heat up even more throughout the day for the rest of the Southland.

Temperatures were expected to soar to the high-80s for Los Angeles and Orange counties, the Valleys and the I.E., low-80s for the beaches, low-70s for the High Desert and mid-50s in the mountains.

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