Get our latest storm report: Tens Of Thousands Are Without Power As Winter Storm Moves Through Region
A cold air mass is on its way down from British Columbia, bringing with it snow, rain, and extreme wind gusts up to 75 mph starting Thursday and until Sunday.
All sorts of concerning weather advisories have been issued for this exceptional storm, but things could get exciting for those at lower elevations because we could see snow in places where it doesn't usually fall.
While our mountains 5,000 feet and higher could see multiple feet of snow, we could also see as much as a foot of snow fall between 1,000-2,000 feet. Look for a sprinkling of white in the Antelope and Santa Clarita Valleys, and throughout the Los Angeles and Ventura County mountains. Between 1.5-3 inches of rain is expected from the coast to the inland valleys.
Now is the time to prepare for a COLD AND DANGEROUS winter storm expected for much of the week. Several FEET of snow is expected in the mountains with a few inches possible as low as 1000 feet. Gusty and potentially damaging winds are also expected. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/2gMhuR1Xun
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 22, 2023
Temperatures will remain in the 30s to low 40s in most spots, except up in the mountains where they’ll drop into the teens. Ventura and Los Angeles counties could see waves of 8-12 feet, with sets up to 16 feet. Minor coastal flooding is a possibility during high tides. Out near Catalina Island, waves could reach 20 feet because of the extreme winds, according to the National Weather Service.
Marine conditions are expected to be VERY DANGEROUS both in terms of winds and waves through this week. It is not wise to be out on the water or at the beach. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/RXbTIBvyF1
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 22, 2023
The storm should peak between Friday and Saturday, and wrap up by Sunday. There’s another storm anticipated mid next week.
[View the document here if the embed doesn't load for you: L.A. County winter shelters]
State law requires residential units to have heating systems that can keep indoor temperatures at a minimum of 70 degrees. That means every dwelling unit and guest room offered for rent or lease should offer heating equipment, usually central air conditioning (A/C) or a wall heater. — Caitlin Hernández
Use heat smartly to save money: Cranking things like the A/C and wall heaters can be expensive. If money is tight, be judicious about how and when you use your utilities. For example, only use heaters at night or only set the thermostat to around 70 degrees.
Open and close those vents: If you have central A/C, look at where the vents are around your home. Are any open in places where you don’t stay long? Practice opening and closing those so warm air only goes where you need it (most vents should have a small toggle lever). Humidifiers can also help you warm things up — and it’s useful to add moisture into our dry air.
Adjust your wall heaters: If you have a wall heater, you can change the output by adjusting the knob (usually at the bottom). Since wall heaters can only warm the areas where they’re placed, it’s essential to close doors to rooms you won’t be in so hot air doesn’t get wasted.
Turn on your ceiling fan (really): If you have a ceiling fan, try turning it on. This sounds counterintuitive, but there’s science behind it. The direction a fan turns can push air in different directions, and since hot air floats up, you’ll want to move that around. Your fan should spin clockwise to create an updraft to circulate. Not all fans will have this option, though.
