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Blustery And Cold Conditions Hit Inland Empire

FONTANA (CBSLA) - The Santa Winds were blowing across the Southland again this evening, making an already cold night feel even colder.

"It's very cold, as you see. I got my sweat on, it's windy," said driver Jacob Hearn.

By nightfall, a handful of big rigs had pulled over along the shoulder of the 15 Freeway just below the notoriously blustery Cajon Pass. Many thought it was better to wait than blow over, as the winds were gusting between 30 and 60 miles per hour.

Tree Snapped by Wind Riverside
High winds snapped this tree, which fell on the roof of a dorm, at California Baptist University in Riverside on Feb. 2, 2022. (CBSLA)

Earlier Wednesday, the wind snapped a colossal pine tree in half at California Baptist University in Riverside, crashing through the roof a dorm building.

RELATED: Santa Ana Winds Take Down Trees, Power Lines At 2 Schools In Riverside

For his part, Hearn said the winds come with the territory.
"We're just kind of used to it, to be honest," he said.

As usual, the wind made driving difficult and overnight, it could still pack enough punch to bring down more trees and power lines like it did another Riverside school Wednesday morning.

The return of the Santa Ana winds comes when local foothill communities, like Upland and Claremont, are busy cleaning up more than a million dollars worth of damage from the most winds that brought hundreds of trees down a few weeks ago, teaching neighbors in the area some valuable lessons.

"Put away your trash cans. Make sure they're weighed down. Make sure your car's not parked under a tree or anything like that," Hearn said.

To top the winds off, temperatures in the lower to mid 30's may even cause frost to form in areas east of San Bernardino to Lake Elsinore.

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