Chilly winds sweep through Southern California after rainstorm

Strong, chilly winds roared through southwestern California on Monday as a fast-moving cold front that brought rain and snow moved out of the area.

Gusts were expected to reach 80 mph along the Interstate 5 corridor and 55 mph in the Antelope Valley, according to the National Weather Service. The strong northerly winds were forecast to continue through Monday night and into early Tuesday.

The UCLA campus saw gusts of up to 49 mph about 8 p.m., while Santa Monica Pier had winds peaking at 39 mph, the weather service said.

The wind was compounded by frigid temperatures stretching from San Diego to the San Joaquin Valley. Big Bear Lake was expected to reach a low of 14 degrees, and the Antelope Valley would see lows in the upper teens on both Monday and Tuesday nights.

In the Los Angeles Basin, low temperatures were expected to drop to the high 30s and low 40s and remain there through Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.

Weather officials warned that exposed pipes in Antelope, Santa Clarita and San Joaquin valleys could freeze and burst. The temperatures are expected to be coldest between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m.

For those braving ocean waters, the National Weather Service warned of rip currents and choppy waves. Los Angeles and Ventura counties could see max sets of up to 10 feet; along the Central Coast, max sets could reach up to 16 feet.

The winds — which are expected to taper off Tuesday — could kick up dust and hinder visibility for motorists, officials warned.

The storm that passed across the state Sunday had lingering effects on communities.

In Lake Arrowhead, snow left roads icy and forced campus closures in the Rim of the World Unified School District. Less than an inch of rain and snow blanketed Pearblossom in about 15 minutes, the weather service said.

In Alameda County, a man and a woman died Sunday after a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 580, which may have been caused by water on the roadway, according to the Alameda County Fire Department. The pair’s children, ages 5 and 6, survived the crash, KRON-TV Channel 4 reported.

On Sunday night, a mudslide triggered by the storm forced the closure of the northbound Interstate 5 in the Grapevine for more than three hours, snarling traffic and previewing potential effects of the coming El Niño.

Temperatures will warm up for the rest of the week, except for Wednesday morning, when it could be at or below freezing in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, weather officials said.

Los Angeles will stay above 40 degrees, but near freezing conditions will be felt along the Ventura County-Los Angeles County line. Clouds and cooler weather will move in Saturday and probably bring a chance of rain Sunday.

Around Sacramento, wet weather is forecast to return Thursday and remain through the weekend.

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA

ALSO

Off-duty LAPD officer shoots and wounds man in Montecito Heights

96-foot Christmas tree catches fire and burns near South Coast Plaza

Northbound Interstate 5 reopens after mudslide; winter storm slams California