Santa Anas to Blow Through Town

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind advisory for the region through Friday.

Gusts are expected to begin around 7 p.m. tonight, and will continue to ebb and flow through Friday morning. In the local canyons and passes, gusts may get as high as 85 miles per hour, downing trees and power lines and blowing drivers out of their lanes.

In Lake Forest, expect a northeast wind to blow Wednesday night at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to between 35 and 40 mph. Winds could gust as high as 80 mph.

At the same time, there will be a slight chance of rain and thunder beginning on Thursday. Forecasters are predicting a 20 percent chance of rain with highs in the mid 60s and overnight lows down to 48 degrees.

The strong winds are predicted to continue Thursday in Lake Forest, with a north wind blowing between 25 and 35 mph, and gusts as high as 70 mph. Thursday night will also be breezy, with winds between 20 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph.

Batten down personal property and take care when driving during high winds. Forecasters say the winds will be the highest experienced in the Southland in about three years.