Hurricane-Force Winds Batter Western Malibu on Christmas Day

• Downed Line Results in Daylong Power Outage Impacting Holiday Festivities for Hundreds

BY ANNE SOBLE

There have been countless times when all the meteorologists were wrong about a Malibu forecast, but the unified front calling for a major Santa Ana wind event on Christmas Eve and Day wasn’t one of them.
The brunt of the winds clocked as high as hurricane force—78 mph at 3:48 a.m. at Leo Carrillo State Beach—was in the predawn hours when any visions of dancing sugar plums were replaced by flying branches and palm fronds.
Point Dume experienced wind gusts in the 25-40 mph range and intermittent electrical power outages. A downed power line made a major dent in holiday plans for Malibu Park residents as hundreds found themselves without power between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Malibuites on the community’s western flank where the winds hit the hardest kept expecting their power to go, but it held fast through occasional flickering.
Tuesday’s Santa Ana winds have completely undone the benefits of the recent rainfalls, according to fire officials. Extra personnel and equipment were on standby in the area on Christmas Day, reinforcing the notion that wildfire knows no holiday.
The winds finally died down late Tuesday but were expected to pick up again on Wednesday, with ongoing red flag alerts reflecting the newly diminished humidity. Alerts are slated to remain in effect through Thursday.
It will take at least two inches of precipitation to put Malibu back where it was before Tuesday’s wind strike. Forecasts for Friday call for the possibility of light rain. Malibuites hope the meteorologists get this one right as well.