Cold front moving in, wind advisories scheduled

SAN DIEGO - Strong gusty west winds will bear sweep the mountains and deserts of San Diego County late tonight as a cold front out of the Gulf of Alaska bears down on the region, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service scheduled a wind advisory for mountain and desert areas from midnight Thursday to 3 a.m. Saturday. During the advisory period, residents can expect west winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour, gusting up to 55 mph, NWS forecasters said.

Winds are expected to be strongest near ridge tops, along desert mountain slopes and in adjacent desert areas.

''The winds will make driving di...