Wind Update: Antonovich Declares Emergency, Power Still Out

Updated 4 p.m.: Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich declares a state of emergency for Los Angeles County to ensure that state or federal financial resources would be available for locals following severe windstorm damage. 

"The windstorms that began last evening have resulted in widespread damage with the heaviest in the San Gabriel Valley," Antonovich said. "The cities of Pasadena, Sierra Madre and Monrovia have declared local emergencies.  Windstorms have caused downed power lines, fallen trees, outages and extensive damage to private property."

Strong winds will continue through Los Angeles through Friday, according to the National Weather Service. 

Meanwhile, Glendale Mayor Laura Friedman shared latest updates on her public Facebook page:

"There were 10,000 customers without power, at 3:45 p.m. we are down to 200 customers without power. has power."

Friedman says that as some power comes back, other outages can happen when ongoing repairs begin. In addition, about 10 power poles were broken, she said.

Fire crews will continue to work throughout the night, and the Emergency Operations Center is open after 6 p.m. Thursday on a limited basis, Friedman said.

Glendale police officers continue to patrol and assist traffic control and report damages in the area, she said. No structural damage is reported, although the city is working with business and property owners to remove debris, hanging signs and awnings in preparation for tonight.

Local School Information:

• Six local schools were without power in La Crescenta and Montrose, with five out of six Southern California Edison customers. cancelled after-school events for Thursday, including sports, Feast of Lights and a Glendale Unified School District Financial Aid Workshop.

• For now, Glendale Unified School District plans to open on Friday. The district will assess at 6 a.m. whether to close schools.

• Glendale Community College is still operating, Friedman said.

So your food won't spoil:

• Harmony Farms is open and has dry ice for those who need it for refrigerators, local Amy Hoag Jahnke told Patch. A 10 pounds of dry ice sells for $12, she said.

Previously 3:15 p.m.: A sheriff's deputy is wearing a green vest to guide walkers safely across Rosemont Avenue and Foothill Boulevard during afternoon traffic. Generators are set up at this location, too.

Power has been out since about 9 p.m. Wednesday for some residents throughout La Crescenta and Montrose. It is unknown when the power will be restored by Southern California Edison.

1:45 p.m.: Glendale Clean & Beautiful, Inc posted on Facebook that you can hire the Property Clean Up Program (PCUP) for help with the windstorm aftermath. PCUP is operated by the City of Glendale and sponsored by Glendale Clean & Beautiful. They will give you a very reasonable quote. Contact Julio at (818) 548-2125.

1 p.m.: Power is still out throughout Montrose and La Crescenta. Here are the following street signs without power: Boston Avenue at Foothill Boulevard; La Crescenta Avenue at Foothill Boulevard.

11:20 a.m.: At least 30 street trees have been uprooted, according to the City of Glendale's windstorm update website. Most of the damage appears to be in the form of broken limbs and fallen palm fronds. If you have a fallen tree call 818-548-3950.

Currently 10,000 GWP customers are without power. At least half a dozen power poles have sustained damage. GWP staff is working to restore power. Customers that currently have power may experience temporary outages throughout the day as crews repair downed lines and damaged poles in your neighborhoods. There is no damage to water facilities. If you see a fallen power line call 818-548-2011.

The Public Works Department is in the process of clearing streets and restoring traffic signal operations. The Glendale Police Department is assisting in traffic control where necessary. Drivers are encouraged to allow for extra time.

GUSD campuses are open. Crescenta Valley High School is without power as they are served by Southern California Edison. Rosemont Middle School and Mountain Avenue are also without power, but is expected to be back on soon.

Fire personnel have asked those that have medical apparatus/equipment in their homes to have their back up batteries fully charged for this evening. Heavy winds this afternoon my cause additional outages.

11:10 a.m.: City of Glendale launches an emergency website for residents, windstorm updates, according to Glendale police Sgt. Tom Lorenz.

11 a.m.: and students are without electrical power but telephones are working and classes are in session, according to Glendale Unified School District spokesperson Steven Frasher.

"Students are being advised to avoid storm debris and steer clear of any downed power lines," Frasher told Patch in a news release.

10:52 a.m.: Glendale Water and Power reports on Twitter that about 10,000 customers are without power. Customers that have power may experience outages as crews repair lines. Report emergencies at 818-548-2011.

10:24 a.m.: A giant olive tree crushed a blue Volvo on a driveway near Rockdell Street and Rosemont Avenue.

7:37 a.m.:  is in session Thursday, according to Principal Rebeca Witt. No other Glendale Unified schools have announced cancelled school days, according to Glendale Unified School District spokesperson Steven Frasher.

Patch followers reported these streets have no power Thursday morning: 

• La Crescenta Avenue and El Caminito Street
• Del Mar Road and Montrose Avenue
• Community and Rosemont avenues

7:12 a.m.: Residents throughout Montrose, La Crescenta and La Canada Flintridge are reporting no power Thursday morning, along with fallen trees and wires down. 

In areas south of Community Avenue in Montrose toward Verdugo Park in North Glendale, including some areas of La Canada Flintridge, are without power off and on this morning, Glendale police Sgt. Craig Tweedy told Patch.

"They’ll hopefully have it on within the hour," Tweedy said.

Southern California Edison will restore power to the area, a deputy at CV Sheriff's Station told Patch. 

The most common calls are fallen trees and wires, Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Harley of the Crescenta Valley Station told Patch. 

"We're responding to calls of trees down and wires down," Harley said. "No one is injured. It sounds like the winds just picked up in the last hour, but I haven't heard of anything significant yet. I've heard of trees down, branches down." 

Harley recommends people avoid travel as much as possible.

"With winds like this you want to stay home if possible and avoid travel becuase there's such a hazard with falling debris and with power outages there's traffic lights out and this could cause accidents," Harley said. 

"It's a good day to stay home if you're able to but if you have to go out and drive just drive slowly," Harley said. 

Updated Wednesday: The 210 Freeway exit at Berkshire Avenue is blocked due to a fallen tree.

11:15 p.m. Wednesday: Business alarms and lights are sounding off throughout Montrose from Ocean View Boulevard to Verdugo Road. Power is off throughout this area. Several trees are down.

Power is completely out at Foothill Boulevard at Ramsdell Avenue in La Crescenta, where county workers are trying to bring power back. The location of the transformer is still unknown.

9:53 p.m. Wednesday: All lanes on 210 Freeway open through La Cañada. Street lights on Foothill Boulevard west of Cornishon are on, but Foothill east of Cornishon is dark, all the way to Oak Grove. High winds have strewn sand and rocks across Oak Grove near Hahamongna Watershed Park. Motorists are cautioned that flying debris, such as tumbleweeds, are expected to hit vehicles as they're driving.

9:27 p.m. Wednesday: Traffic lights out at Crown Avenue, Oak Grove Drive and .

9:17 p.m. Wednesday: 210 Freeway westbound at Oak Grove Drive closed due to tree across freeway, and there's an accident at Berkshire Avenue and 210 Freeway in La Cañada.

LAFD.blogspot.com reports 14,000 Southern California Edison customers without power from high winds. SoCal Edison website lists La Cañada as an area that lost power.

Strong winds blew a transformer in the foothills Thursday, knocking out power to traffic lights and dropping tree branches all around La Crescenta and La Cañada, officials said.

Deputy Eric Matejka said traffic signals died at the eastbound and westbound entrances of the 210 Freeway, at Altura and Pennsylvania avenues. The high winds, estimated to peak at 80 mph Thursday morning, felled trees across the Crescenta Valley, he said.

Deputies talking on the police scanner said that Public Works had been contacted, as had California Highway Patrol and Glendale Police Department.

Check back on Patch for further wind damage updates. You may also follow along with what's falling where at http://lafd.blogspot.com.

Have you seen any wind damage: felled trees, power lines or other uprooted items? Post them on Patch.