[National Weather Service] – A strong and widespread wind event has begun and will persist through Saturday.

The first peak of this event will occur late Wednesday into Friday morning with strong northerly winds, then diminish with continued offshore flow through at least the upcoming weekend.

The combination of strong offshore flow and good upper-level wind support should produce damaging wind gusts to 80 mph or higher through the Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara county mountains with gusts as high as 60 mph across the wind prone adjacent valleys and coastal areas.

Impacts include downed trees and power lines as well as the potential for high fire danger with rapid fire growth due to the strong offshore winds and low humidity values.

Driving conditions will be hazardous for high profile vehicles and blowing dust and sand could lower visibilities to near zero in some areas.

Boaters across the inner waters will be affected as well. Boaters trying to dock or drop anchor in northeast to east exposure such as Avalon Harbor and the east inlets and harbors of the Channel Islands could deal with rough seas through the period.