Gusty winds and cooler, cloudy weather move into Southern California

After a warm week, cloudy and cooler weather blanketed Southern California on Saturday, bringing gusty winds in some areas.

The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory in Los Angeles County’s mountains and the Antelope Valley, forecasting southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 55 mph.

“It’s very windy out there today. And so drivers need to be aware,” said Joe Sirard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “It looks like winds may be strong enough in the Antelope Valley that there might be some reduced visibilities due to blowing dust and sand.”

Isolated wind gusts of up to 60 mph were forecast in the Antelope Valley foothills. The weather service warned that winds could blow down tree limbs, and could result in some power outages.

The winds and dry conditions are also posing risks elsewhere in the state. In a dozen Northern California counties, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. announced that residents could see power shut off over the weekend because the winds and low humidity were increasing the risks of wildfires.

In Southern California, a thick marine layer brought cooler temperatures and drizzle in some areas. The National Weather Service said there was a chance of rain Saturday, with highs in the upper 60s.

The weather cooled down Saturday after temperatures in Southern California reached the mid-90s on Wednesday. This weekend has brought some of the coolest weather so far in October.

“There’s going to be some slight chances of rain here and there, but we’re not expecting a whole lot of rain out of it,” Sirard said.

Sunday is forecast to be mostly cloudy in the morning, then sunny, with highs around 70 degrees.

Times staff writer Salvador Hernandez contributed to this report.