Batten down those Christmas lawn decorations.

Santa Claus is on his way, but the crushing cold and wicked wind is already here.

Heavy gusts have throttled the South Coast, toppling trees, knocking out power lines, and causing vehicle crashes.

A cold front could bring thunderstorms for Santa Barbara and Ventura county interior areas, along with gusty conditions.

Winds could reach 40 to 50 mph, with some areas climbing as high as 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

The wind has already knocked down multiple trees on Highway 101 between Turnpike Road and Patterson Avenue near Goleta, according to Capt. Scott Safechuck of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

Multiple calls were made to 9-1-1 to report downed power lines, he added.

Although authorities have reported no injuries, people had called emergency dispatch lines more than 30 times as of midday Tuesday.

“Strong winds are occurring countywide that could blow down trees and outdoor furniture,” according to the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management. “Unplanned power outages are possible. Take caution when outdoors. Only call 9-1-1 for emergencies. Contact your electricity provider for power outage updates.”

Via Diego in Santa Barbara was particularly had hit, with several downed trees forcing shutdown of part of the street.

Santa Barbara City Fire Department Battalion Chief Cory Cloud said to expect another “big wind event” Tuesday afternoon.

“Beware of hazard trees and power lines,” Cloud said. “We definitely have the potential for another event this afternoon and evening like what we saw this morning.”

Dozens of trees were knocked down, he said, and some toppled into buildings.

“Don’t park underneath hazard trees and power lines if you can avoid it,” Cloud added.

A Wind Advisory will remain in effect until 7 a.m. Wednesday. In addition, a High Surf Advisory will be in effect until 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Click here for the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.