Cold storm to bring wind, rain, snow beginning this afternoon to Southern California
LOS ANGELES — A cold storm out of the Gulf of Alaska will generate three to five hours of steady rain in Southern California starting late this afternoon — Thursday, Jan. 16 — bringing challenging travel conditions to mountain areas before clearing out, setting the stage for a sunny Friday, followed by a mostly cloudy weekend, forecasters said.
The storm’s greatest impact may be in the San Gabriel Mountains, where a winter weather advisory denoting high winds and tough driving conditions will be in force from 1 p.m. Thursday until 1 p.m. Friday amid a falling snow level and furious winds, they said.
No mud slides or debris flows are expected over slopes previously denuded by wildfires — in L.A., Orange and Riverside counties — because the rainfall at no time is expected to exceed a half-inch per hour, said meteorologist Curt Kaplan at the National Weather Service’s Oxnard station.
In Orange County, the “weak” storm’s main band is expected between 11 p.m. Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday, producing “light showers” Thursday evening amid southwest winds of between 15 and 18 miles per hour, said meteorologist Miguel Miller at the NWS station in San Diego, where Orange County conditions are forecast and monitored. The storm will clear out by sunrise, he said.
Rain is most likely to hit the San Fernando Valley between 4 and 10 p.m. Thursday, and somewhat less likely through 4 a.m., the NWS is forecasting.
In the South Bay, Long Beach, Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley areas, rain is most likely between 4 p.m. Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday.
In L.A. County’s San Gabriel Mountains, the snow level will fall to between 4,500 and 5,500 feet during daytime hours, then to between 3,500 and 4,500 feet by late Thursday night, the NWS said. Between 4 and 8 inches of snow is expected to accumulate above 5,500 feet, while an accumulation of 2 to 4 inches is anticipated between 4,500 and 5,500 feet, and 2 inches — a dusting — is expected between 3,500 and 4,500 feet, it said.
At the same time, south to southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph gusting to up to 50 mph will sweep across the San Gabriels, and road closures may be required on Interstate 5 through the Grapevine and Ventura County’s Highway 33, the NWS said.
“Slow down and use caution while traveling,” urged an NWS statement.
The Antelope Valley will also be windy, with the weather service forecasting winds 20 to 35 mph, with gusts of up to 50 mph. The strongest winds will be in the foothills.
“Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down. Blowing dust could locally reduce visibility in the desert at times Thursday afternoon in advance of the rain,” warned an NWS statement.
“Travel may become hazardous for high-profile vehicles traveling along Highways 14 (the Antelope Valley Freeway) and 138 (Pearblossom Highway) in the Antelope Valley,” it added.
Between a quarter-inch and three quarter of an inch of rain are expected along the L.A. County coast and in the county’s valleys, and between three-quarters and an inch-and-a-half in the mountains and foothills, according to the NWS. Similar conditions are expected in Orange County Thursday, with a quarter inch of rain near the coast starting late in the day, and between a half-inch and an inch in the Santa Ana Mountains.
The NWS forecast rain in L.A. County Thursday and highs of 43 on Mount Wilson; 55 in Lancaster; 56 in Granada Hills, Palmdale and Santa Clarita; 57 in Burbank and Chatsworth; 58 in San Pedro, Torrance, North Hollywood, Northridge, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Canoga Park, Winnetka and Woodland Hills; 59 in Van Nuys, Pasadena, San Gabriel, Long Beach and at LAX; 60 in Whittier; and 61 in West Covina and downtown LA. Temperatures will rise up to six degrees Friday amid sunny skies and up to six more Saturday under mostly cloudy skies.
Mostly cloudy skies were forecast in Orange County Thursday, along with highs of 46 on Santiago Peak; 51 on Oetega Highway at 2,600 feet; 55 in Fremont Canyon; 57 in Laguna Beach; 58 in Trabuco Canyon and Yorba Linda; 59 in San Clemente and Anaheim; 60 in Mission Viejo, Newport Beach and Fullerton; 61 in Santa Ana; and 62 in Irvine. Highs will be up to five degrees higher amid sunny skies Friday and up to seven higher under partly cloudy skies Saturday.
Staff Writer Steven Rosenberg contributed to this report.