Santa Ana winds cause severe damage around L.A. County

Jas Kang
·2 min read

The Santa Ana winds returned to Southern California and caused significant damage around parts of Los Angeles County.

Hurricane-force winds caused several trees to come down, damaging homes and knocking out power to thousands of residents.

One home on Beverly Way in Altadena suffered major damage from a tree that came down. Charles Phillips lives in the neighborhood and heard the moment the tree fell.

“I heard a cracking sound, I looked over at my sister, and sure enough we saw the big tree,” he said to KTLA 5’s Shelby Nelson. “There was actually three of them, it was like a domino effect.”

No one was in the home when the tree came down.

“Thank god they weren’t home,” Phillips said. “And thank god no one got hurt.

The National Weather Service issued an alert about the storm for Southern California. Parts of the region saw gusts of up to 60 and 75 miles per hour.

With Southern California seeing a historic amount of rain last month, the over-saturated soil contributed to some trees coming down.

  • The Santa Ana winds brought down trees across parts of Southern California, including in Altadena on March 15, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Santa Ana winds brought down trees across parts of Southern California, including in Altadena on March 15, 2024. (KTLA)
  • A tree came down onto a home after roaring winds swept through parts of Southern California. Crews assessed the damage on March 15, 2024. (KTLA)
    A tree came down onto a home after roaring winds swept through parts of Southern California. Crews assessed the damage on March 15, 2024. (KTLA)
  • A fire station in Covina had several cars damaged by a fallen tree on March 15, 2024. (LAFD)
    A fire station in Covina had several cars damaged by a fallen tree on March 15, 2024. (LAFD)
  • A semi-truck toppled over due to the Santa Ana winds in the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway in Fontana. The truck is seen on March 15, 2024. (On Scene.TV)
    A semi-truck toppled over due to the Santa Ana winds in the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway in Fontana. The truck is seen on March 15, 2024. (On Scene.TV)
  • A tree came down onto a home after roaring winds swept through parts of Southern California. Crews assessed the damage on March 15, 2024. (KTLA)
    A tree came down onto a home after roaring winds swept through parts of Southern California. Crews assessed the damage on March 15, 2024. (KTLA)
  • A home in La Crescenta-Montrose suffered significant damage after a tree fell onto in. No one was injured in the home. The house was yellow-tagged by officials on March 15, 2024. (KTLA)
    A home in La Crescenta-Montrose suffered significant damage after a tree fell onto in. No one was injured in the home. The house was yellow-tagged by officials on March 15, 2024. (KTLA)

In La Crescenta, a tree fell onto a home, shocking the occupants. Officials have yellow-tagged the house after assessing the damage.

“It sounded like an explosion to be honest,” Chana Anderson said. “I immediately ran upstairs, I was on the phone with my brother, I was like, ‘something happened,’ a tree was through my house.”

The National Weather Service has issued another alert for parts of Southern California for Friday afternoon and evening. The region could see thunderstorms, hail, and wind gusts of between 45 and 55 miles per hour according to the NWS.

It is expected to be breezy again on Saturday, with warmer temperatures and less wind in the forecast beginning Sunday. Temperatures are expected to hit the low 80s in the middle of the next week.

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