Cold, windy conditions expected to give way to warmer temperatures in Southern California

Cold and windy conditions Sunday night and early Monday led to downed trees in Los Angeles County and snow delays on the 5 Freeway through the Grapevine.

For the rest of the week, the weather should be warmer and milder, and winds calmer, according to forecasters.

The California Highway Patrol escorted traffic over the Grapevine due to snow on Sunday night, Caltrans said in a Tweet.

High winds were detected throughout Southern California, including gusts of 40 mph at Point Vicente in Rancho Palos Verdes and 35 mph at Los Angeles’ Franklin Canyon, according to data from the National Weather Service.

There were reports of trees falling in Palms, Santa Monica and Hollywood overnight, with several cars damaged.

Temperatures could be “closer to normal or maybe a little higher than normal,” said Joe Sirard, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

This week’s forecast shows a high of 79 degrees Thursday in Los Angeles, with lows around 50 degrees and a chance of rain Saturday.

In Orange County, temperatures are expected to be similar, but high winds may continue through Tuesday.

The forecast for the Inland Empire — San Bernardino and Riverside counties — shows high winds Monday and Tuesday nights and lows in the 30s.