LOS ANGELES, CA – The strongest storm in a week of consecutive storms can bring feet of snow to the local mountains and inches of rain to the Los Angeles area on Wednesday. Most of the snow and rain will fall over the San Gabriel Mountains, with amounts of snow decreasing, according to the National Weather Service
With the storm expected to land early Wednesday, Angelenos can expect a wet morning ride. According to the National Weather Service, the storm should last until Thursday.
Another storm system will traverse SW CA tonight through Thursday, with showers continuing through Friday morning. Considerable rain and mountain snow possible! #SoCal #CAwx #LAsnow pic.twitter.com/PEChVyQLgt
– NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) December 28, 2021
A winter storm warning goes into effect Wednesday at 1 a.m. and stays in effect through 4 a.m. Friday in the mountains of Los Angeles County excluding the Santa Monica Mountain Range. According to the National Weather Service, “heavy snow” is possible, with 1 to 3 feet accumulating over 5,000 feet and “light snow” falling to 4,000 feet. The snow is accompanied by winds at speeds of 60 to 60 miles per hour, with gusts at higher elevations of up to 60 miles per hour.
“Travel could be very difficult if not impossible,” said the NWS. The weather service said some mountain roads that could be affected by snowfall include the Angeles Crest Highway, Mount Baldy Road, and Highway 39.
Caltrans later said workers were clearing the Angeles Crest Highway in the Angeles National Forest north of La Canada Flintridge and chains were required.
“Storm Wednesday (2.12.) Is expected to bring heavy snow / possible closure. Check quickmap.dot.ca.gov for the latest conditions. Watch out for workers!” the agency tweeted.
“Excessive runoff can lead to flooding of rivers, streams, brooks and other low-lying and flood-prone locations,” said the NWS. “Flooding can occur in poor drainage areas and in urban areas. Flash floods and debris flows are possible, especially near burn scars.”
Rainfall levels in the Los Angeles area were still somewhat uncertain, and forecasters said the storm was likely to stall “somewhere over the region, probably over or just east of Los Angeles County”.
“Storm rain totals of 2 to 6 inches are expected where this stall occurs, highest in the foothills, with amounts of snow 1 to 3 feet above 5,000 feet,” according to the NWS. “In the most recent fire areas there would likely be limited and shallow debris flows, while rivers are likely to have no flooding but increased runoff. Elsewhere, more modest totals of 0.5 to 5 inches of rain and 6 to 12 inches of snow are not expected to be favorable, nor are they to be ruled out. “
According to the NWS, the temperatures in the entire region will also remain “well below average”.
On Tuesday, Anaheim recorded the lowest daily temperature for that date at 56 degrees, breaking the old record of 59 from 2007.
The rainy weather is expected to last through Thursday, with dry – but cool – conditions expected starting Friday and lasting through the bank holiday weekend.
City News Service and Patch Representative Paige Austin contributed to this report.
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