Enjoy the break in the clouds while it lasts.
Another cold storm system from the Gulf of Alaska is making its way to Southern California, this time bringing lighter rain and notable snow totals.
This storm will bring two rounds of precipitation, with the first round starting Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. Ventura County could see rain as early as this evening.
The first round will bring light to moderate showers into late Wednesday morning. There will be a break in between rounds for most of Wednesday afternoon, with the heavier rainfall picking up in the evening.
There is also a slight chance of thunderstorms starting Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning. During that time, the rain could come down in heavy spurts and produce pea-sized hail, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Elizabeth Adams.
It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is 😴💤! Here is our latest forecast for rainfall timing and intensity. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms Wednesday and Thursday. pic.twitter.com/FYiq07REmD
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 28, 2023
The San Bernardino Mountains will see snowfall Tuesday night at the 5,000-foot level and will continue to rise as the precipitation develops. There's a winter storm watch in effect for that area. Adams warns of blanket-like conditions starting Wednesday evening as wind gusts are expected to reach up to 65 mph.
"The strong winds combined with the snowfall could lead to some difficult traveling conditions, some lowing and drifting snow and potentially some periods of white out conditions," Adams said. "So make sure that you're exercising caution when traveling through the mountain."
Above 5,000 feet, anywhere between 6 to 10 inches of snowfall is expected. The mountain peaks could see up to a foot or more of snow. Temperatures are going to plummet significantly, reaching up to mid 50s for most of SoCal.
Looking ahead to Thursday morning, snow levels could reach as low as 3,000 to 4,500 feet. That could bring up to an inch of snow over major mountain passes like the Grapevine.
But the greater accumulation of snow will remain above 5,000 feet. Showers will linger into Thursday afternoon. The storm is expected to clear out by Thursday evening.
So far, last week's storm has produced some notable damaging results, from a pair of tornadoes touching L.A. and Santa Barbara counties to a collapsed hillside in Pacific Palisades.
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.
Here's what you need to know when storms hit Southern California:
