Expect snow on Antelope Valley floor
By City News Service
A cold storm was slowly advancing toward the Southland at midweek, with forecasters warning of windy, chilly and wet conditions that will persist well into the weekend.
National Weather Service forecasters called the system “a very complex storm event” that will bring “significant impacts” to the region, “some not experienced in decades.”
“A strong cold front will move over southwest California through Wednesday morning with very windy conditions and rapidly falling snow levels,” according to the NWS. “Cold, showery weather will persist until an unusual winter storm brings periods of heavy rain and heavy mountain snow to the region Friday through Saturday night.”
A winter storm warning went into effect in the Los Angeles County mountains on Tuesday evening — lasting through 4 p.m. Saturday — with forecasters anticipating snow levels dropping to 1,500 feet by Wednesday morning, and up to 5 inches of snow falling by Wednesday night, accompanied by winds gusting as high as 75 mph.
Forecasters said 2 to 5 feet of snow could accumulate by Saturday night in elevations over 4,000 feet, but some isolated areas could get as much as 7 feet. Accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are possible by Saturday night at elevations as low as 2,000 feet, with “significant snowfall” expected on “most major mountain passes.”
The Antelope Valley can anticipate 3 to 6 inches of snow possible in foothills and 1 to 3 inches on the valley floor, all accompanied by winds of up to 65 mph.
Windy weather will be the primary early impact of the storm system, with forecasters predicting widespread gusts of 30 to 50 mph in many areas, while the mountains and Antelope Valley could get gusts from 55 to 75 mph.
Overall, Los Angeles County coasts and valleys could get a total of 2 to 4 inches of rain, with some foothill areas possibly receiving 4 to 6 inches.
