Fierce winds wreak havoc in California and Utah
Source: Agencies |
December 2, 2011, Friday
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HIGH winds flipped over trees and trucks and knocked out power to more than 300,000 California customers before moving inland early yesterday, where schools in a Utah town closed because of 160 kilometers per hour wind gusts.
High wind warnings and wind advisories are in effect for parts of California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming.
In California, winds sweeping down through canyons created gusts of up to 128kph, with a 156kph gust recorded Wednesday night at Whitaker Peak in Los Angeles County.
"What's driving this is a large, cold low-pressure system that's currently centered over Needles, California. The strong winds are wrapping around it," weather service forecaster Andrew Rorke said.
The system will sit and spin counter-clockwise over the area for the next day, although "it won't be quite as hellacious" as on Wednesday night, Rorke said.
The pressure front will then begin moving cross-country, eventually bringing blustery weather to Oklahoma, Missouri and Indiana, he said.
More than 300,000 customers in Southern California were without electricity yesterday morning and about 26,000 more in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Northern California. San Francisco was spared any blackouts but thousands elsewhere in the Bay area were in the dark.
In Southern California, 23 flights were diverted and several delayed at Los Angeles International airport because of severe crosswinds and debris on runways, officials said.
Also in Southern California, high winds blew over at least six semitrailers before dawn on highways below the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County, said California Highway Patrol Officer Mario Lopez. One trucker was taken to a hospital.
Northeast of Los Angeles, foothill communities were hard hit as the winds swept down the San Gabriel Mountains. Trees - some more than 30 meters tall - crashed down in the suburbs and landed on homes in Pasadena and near Beverly Hills, but no major injuries were reported.
Pasadena closed schools and libraries yesterday and declared a local emergency.
High winds in Utah overturned several tractor-trailers and knocked out power to more than 30,000 customers. Police asked schools to close in Centerville, Utah, where a 160kph gust was reported yesterday.
High wind warnings and wind advisories are in effect for parts of California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming.
In California, winds sweeping down through canyons created gusts of up to 128kph, with a 156kph gust recorded Wednesday night at Whitaker Peak in Los Angeles County.
"What's driving this is a large, cold low-pressure system that's currently centered over Needles, California. The strong winds are wrapping around it," weather service forecaster Andrew Rorke said.
The system will sit and spin counter-clockwise over the area for the next day, although "it won't be quite as hellacious" as on Wednesday night, Rorke said.
The pressure front will then begin moving cross-country, eventually bringing blustery weather to Oklahoma, Missouri and Indiana, he said.
More than 300,000 customers in Southern California were without electricity yesterday morning and about 26,000 more in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Northern California. San Francisco was spared any blackouts but thousands elsewhere in the Bay area were in the dark.
In Southern California, 23 flights were diverted and several delayed at Los Angeles International airport because of severe crosswinds and debris on runways, officials said.
Also in Southern California, high winds blew over at least six semitrailers before dawn on highways below the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County, said California Highway Patrol Officer Mario Lopez. One trucker was taken to a hospital.
Northeast of Los Angeles, foothill communities were hard hit as the winds swept down the San Gabriel Mountains. Trees - some more than 30 meters tall - crashed down in the suburbs and landed on homes in Pasadena and near Beverly Hills, but no major injuries were reported.
Pasadena closed schools and libraries yesterday and declared a local emergency.
High winds in Utah overturned several tractor-trailers and knocked out power to more than 30,000 customers. Police asked schools to close in Centerville, Utah, where a 160kph gust was reported yesterday.
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