Countywide : Gusts Cut Power, Set Off Alarms

Winds gusting up to 30 m.p.h. triggered calls to law enforcement officials and firefighters Friday, but left most power lines around the county intact.

County fire crews received three calls of downed power lines in Thousand Oaks and Fillmore, county fire dispatcher Jackie Noel said.

But the outages were limited and lines were repaired within several hours, a Southern California Edison Co. spokeswoman said. A high wind advisory remained in effect for motorists traveling on county roads throughout the evening, a California Highway Patrol official said.

In Thousand Oaks, strong gusts set off the alarm systems and motion detectors in about a dozen homes, Sheriff’s Sgt. Keith Parks said. “It’s common out here when it gets windy. We basically know we’re going to get alarms,” he said.

National Weather Service meteorologist Terry Schaeffer predicted freezing temperatures for early this morning.

Temperatures are expected to dip to below 20 degrees in some parts of the county, with most temperatures between 27 and 32 degrees. Because of the chill, Schaeffer cautioned farmers to protect their crops from midnight to 2 a.m., when temperatures are the coldest.

Calmer weather is expected for today, with high temperatures in the upper 60s and 70s. Sunday is expected to be cool with a chance of showers in the evening, he said.