Blackout warnings as furious 'devil winds' up to 80mph target millions in California

Powerful 'devil winds' with the strength of a hurricane are sweeping over more than 20 million people, threatening to cause widespread power outages and spark deadly wildfires. Commonly known as Santa Ana winds, forecasters warn that gusts could reach 80mph starting Thursday and lasting through the weekend, potentially damaging homes, knocking down power lines and even blowing trucks off roadways. The winds are sweeping through Southern California , bringing surges of dry, hot air into Los Angeles , Ventura, Orange, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Santa Ana winds form when high pressure builds up in Northern California, Nevada and Utah , driving dry gusts into the southern half of the state, which get hotter and drier as they drop from the mountains to the Pacific Coast. Temperatures are expected to skyrocket into the 90s in Los Angeles and San Diego, with AccuWeather warning that the strongest winds will potentially reach 90mph. The National Weather Service (NWS) is already urging residents throughout the region to brace for possible blackouts through midnight on Saturday. NWS officials warned in a statement: 'Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.' Santa Ana winds have also been nicknamed 'devil winds' because they dramatically increase the risk of spreading sparks that ignite deadly wildfires throughout California. Santa Ana winds have a strong tie to triggering deadly wildfires throughout Southern California (File Image) Forecasts warn that temperatures in Los Angeles and San Diego will rise back into the 90s through the weekend The Santa Ana winds are named after the Santa Ana Canyon in Orange County, California, where the strong, high-pressure air rushes through as it blasts down from the inland deserts toward the coast The phenomenon was blamed for multiple wildfires in Southern California in 2025 and has already been connected to one blaze this month. In January 2025, Santa Ana conditions, including winds between 60 and 100mph, very low humidity and local droughts, were connected to the Eaton, Hughes and Palisades Fires. Those disasters destroyed nearly 50,000 acres across Los Angeles County and reportedly killed at least 30 people. The power outages have been directly tied to the risk of new wildfires starting over the next three days. AccuWeather noted in a statement : 'Utilities may temporarily shut off electricity in areas facing dangerous fire weather to reduce the risk of power equipment sparking wildfires.' At the same time, a mid-October heat wave is set to break out in Southern California, with temperatures jumping into the 90s in downtown Los Angeles, marking the second heat wave of the month in the area. The devil winds are expected to be slightly less intense within the Los Angeles metro areas, however, nearby communities will be quickly dried out by the hot and arid winds, raising the risk of fires around the city. NWS warned that if a fire does ignite, conditions will be 'favorable for extreme fire behavior which would threaten life and property.' Santa Ana wind gusts are expected to surpass 75mph, the same as a Category 1 hurricane Santa Ana winds, or devil winds, are expected to trigger power outages in Southern California between Thursday and Saturday night (File Image) Read More EXCLUSIVE Terrifying scientific study warns 'Blackout Arc' event could plunge 5 million into total darkness Most of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties have been placed under a Red Flag Warning from Thursday morning until Saturday at 8pm local time (11pm ET). This means the conditions are right for even a tiny spark to potentially set off a major fire that is spread rapidly by the Santa Ana winds over hundreds or thousands of acres. The fire danger zones include the Santa Monica Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains, Ventura County mountains, Antelope Valley foothills, Santa Clarita Valley, San Fernando Valley, Malibu Coast, Calabasas/Agoura Hills as well as several nearby valleys and coastal areas. Residents have been urged to use extreme caution while handling anything that could start a fire, including outdoor burning, sparks from equipment, vehicles and lighting cigarettes. NWS warned people living near wildland areas should be ready to evacuate quickly if a fire starts. The devil winds are expected to peak on Friday, with forecast maps showing widespread areas between San Diego and Los Angeles reaching 60mph.