Blizzards aren’t typically associated with Southern California, but residents were bracing for a powerful winter storm on Thursday that forecasters warned could make mountain passes impassable.
The National Weather Service is based in Los Angeles Winter storm warning issued It is warning of “extremely hazardous mountain conditions” for the mountains of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties until early Friday. A rare blizzard warning is in place for the same areas Friday through Saturday.
This isn’t the first blizzard warning from the Los Angeles National Weather Service office, but it’s been around for decades. The office’s records date back to 2006, so its forecasters, who have become more accustomed to issuing high surf advisories and flash flood warnings, aren’t sure about their last blizzard warning. After a while, they found it Released on February 4, 1989.
As California adapts to its unusual weather, heavy storms hit an area prone to snowfall: hundreds of thousands of customers were without power in the upper Midwest early Thursday, hundreds of schools were closed and flights were disrupted.
Forecasters in Los Angeles He described the storm that hit the area It’s dangerous, they predict, with up to seven feet of snow in areas above 4,500 feet above sea level. At elevations below 2,500 feet, less amounts of one to six inches are expected. Areas along the coast and valleys could get up to five inches of rain.
The low-elevation snowfall may be the largest 24- to 48-hour snowfall seen in decades — since the blizzard of 1989. Congested traffic – For the mountains of Ventura and Los Angeles County, forecasters said.
“It’s all adding up to a big snow event,” said Andrew Roark, senior forecaster at the Weather Service’s office in Los Angeles.
A person standing in downtown Los Angeles can see a 10,600-foot peak that usually has snow on it, Mr. Roark said. That snow will extend down the mountain on Saturday, showing more snow than a typical winter storm.
But don’t expect the Hollywood sign to disappear into the snow-capped mountains.
“The Hollywood Hills are spared the snow, but the San Gabriels behind the Hollywood sign certainly aren’t,” said Mr. Roark said.
Los Angeles is surrounded by mountains, and if there is heavy snow, the road through them will be closed.
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services made the news on Wednesday, describes several ways Californians should prepare for the storm, including packing a bag with important documents, money and medicine. Officials also warned against using a gas stove or oven to heat the home.
