Freeze warning, frost advisory issued into Thursday morning for much of Southern California
A freeze warning was issued Wednesday for the valleys of Riverside and San Bernardino County, with overnight temperatures below freezing possible for some areas into Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said.
The warning came as a surge of cold weather moved through Southern California, dropping snow levels to as low as 2,500 feet Tuesday and early Wednesday, as the most recent storm gave way to at least a couple of days of dry weather.
Light rain is forecast for sometime during the weekend, “but nothing like we had earlier,” NWS meteorologist Casey Oswant said Wednesday.
“It’s getting this cold because we had a low pressure system bring down a lot of cold air from Alaska and the west coast of Canada,” Oswant said. She said it should start to warm up Thursday, “but then another low pressure system is coming in late Friday and Saturday.”
That system will not bring as much cold air, she said, because it is coming from a more southerly part of the Pacific Ocean.
The freeze warning will last from 10 p.m. Wednesday until 9 a.m. Thursday. The NWS said there will be about 10 hours of temperatures near or below freezing for wind-sheltered areas in the warning area, mostly in the upper 20s to low 30s.
Hemet, Corona and Norco areas could see temperatures in the mid-20s, the NWS said. The freeze warning also covered inland San Diego County valleys.
The freeze can damage crops or other sensitive vegetation. Pets and other domesticated animals could also be harmed.
A frost advisory was issued for Wednesday night for the coastal areas of Orange and San Diego counties, and for Los Angeles County valleys , also lasting until 9 a.m. Thursday. Temperatures for most affected areas can drop into the low to mid 30s.
Forecast low temperatures for Thursday morning include 39 for Los Angeles and Santa Ana, 37 for Laguna Beach, 34 for Riverside and Ontario, and 36 for San Bernardino, the NWS said.
Chilly weather will continue into tonight when temperatures will drop to near or below freezing in most locations across our forecast area. Make sure to take precautions so you don’t leave your pets or sensitive plants out in the cold! #CAwx pic.twitter.com/aTzl9bk104
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) February 6, 2019
The cold weather combined with the departing storm to bring more snow to mountains, as well as the High Desert, the NWS said Wednesday.
GOES-17 satellite view Wednesday morning of snow in the mountains and over portions of the High Desert! Snow levels dipped down to 2500-3000 ft overnight. #cawx pic.twitter.com/ZON3CtX0Gd
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) February 6, 2019
More difficult to confirm were reports of snow — possibly rime ice — in lower-elevation places such as Yucaipa, Beaumont, and Calimesa. There was hail in Redlands.
“Rime ice is ice particles that might be mistaken for snow,” said NWS meteorologist Oswant. “Or, if it was cold enough, it could have been flurrying” — snow that falls briefly and does not stick, she said
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There was indisputably snow in the upper elevations.
Mountain ski resorts had five-day accumulations that could be measured in feet, not inches, including 42 inches at Mountain High Ski Resort in Wrightwood and 35-43 inches at Snow Valley in Running Springs, the NWS reported Wednesday.
Both locations are at the 7,500-foot level, as is Snow Summit by Big Bear Lake, which got 15-26 inches of snow.