Bay Area braces for strong winds, up to 60 miles per hour in higher elevations

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Hold on, Bay Area! Strong winds are expected to whip through the region Wednesday into Thursday morning, possibly toppling trees, power lines and making driving conditions "very dangerous" on local bridges.

"Good news, though! No heightened fire threat with this wind," said ABC7 News Meteorologist Mike Nicco.

In the East Bay Valleys, Nicco is focusing on a 12 hour period where winds will be gusting up to 40 to 60 miles per hour. As a result a Wind Advisory will be in effect Wednesday from 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.

An Wind Advisory will also be in effect in our higher elevations. It goes from Wednesday 10 a.m. through Thursday 4 a.m. in the North Bay Mountains, East Bay Hills, Diablo Range Hills and Mountains and Santa Cruz Mountains.

"Be careful out there!," said Nicco. "We will have a north wind around 15 to 30 miles per hour, but the gusts of 40 to 60 -- that's what could cause potential problems."

Nicco recommends people secure outdoor objects, avoid parking under trees and under power lines. Also be vigilant when cross Bay Area bridges including the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, Bay Bridge, Dumbarton Bridge and the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge.

"Two hands on the steering wheel. We are going to have a perpendicular wind to our east-west bridges, which will make driving -- especially high profile vehicles -- very dangerous," explained Nicco.

Nicco's AccuWeather forecast shows high winds could be factor during the start of Thursday's morning commute before they start to die down.

"But by the end of the commute -- winds are not going to be an issue anymore," said Nicco.