Coldest Storm Of The Year Expected This Week With Snow And Graupel Possible (And Yes We Will Explain That Term)

Bring out the hand warmers and get ready to be extra careful on the roads. The National Weather Service forecasts a cold, blustery winter storm from Canada heading our way in Southern California starting Tuesday.

Brace yourself for very windy and much cooler conditions by Tuesday tonight — along with a chance of showers and even snow at low elevations.

"It's going to bring a lot of cold air and a lot of wind," explained Andrew Roarke, a meteorologist with the NWS told us, "looking for 70 mph gusts in the mountains and 60 miles per hour gusts in Antelope Valley, and probably 30 to 40 mph gusts in the valleys."

By Wednesday, Southern California's mountains will see wind gusts up to 50 mph with afternoon high temperatures dropping to the mid-50s, so it'll be uncomfortable going outside.

NWS officials are warning it will be "the coldest storm of the season, and possibly of the last several years."

Adding: "Snow or graupel may even occur across some elevated valleys!"

The bulk of the rain will start Thursday and that could bring three to four inches of rain across the area.

Travelers should be prepared for possible road closures or delays.

What else you should know

• Wind gusts are expected to reach gale force speeds.
• High surf, creating dangerous condition is also expected.

What exactly is graupel?

Our former colleague Kyle Stokes enjoys the graupel falling on Pasadena on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019 at approximately 2 p.m. Kyle missed the snow so much that he moved back to his home state of Minnesota this year.

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Kristen Muller

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LAist

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You might remember graupel from the last time it fell in Southern California, to the delight of many people, including those here in our newsroom.

Here's the definition from the National Oceanic and Atmosphere's (NOAA) severe weather lab:

What's next

Roark told us snow will be as low as 2,000 feet, "which will bring snow to the major mountain passes, perhaps as low as to the foothills in some of the valleys. This precipitation should last through Saturday."

Resort level areas will see up between two to four feet of snow at elevations above 7,000 feet and major mountain passes like the Grapevine and the Soledad Pass off Route 14 to Palmdale will see 5 to 6 inches of snow.

L.A. County winter shelters

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What to know in a flood watch/warning

Here's an excerpt from our guide to understanding flood warnings:

• Flood advisories are how the NWS begins to raise the alarm. The goal is to give people enough time to take action.
• Flood watches are your indicators to get prepared to move.
• A flood warning is issued when a hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. When one is issued for your area, you need to get to higher ground immediately.
• A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is coming or in progress. Flash floods are sudden and violent floods that can start within minutes.

Read more: Flash Flood Warnings? Watches? Here’s What You Need To Know

Road closures and conditions

We will be watching the roads closely as the storm moves in and will update you on conditions. We know the Grapevine passing on the I-5 is a perennial issue for drivers when there's snow or high winds, so be sure to check before using that route. Last week CHP officers had to escort traffic through the area.

Authorities also say Soledad Pass along the 14 to Palmdale may see 5 to 6 inches of snow.

The NWS is already warning travelers to be prepared for possible road closures or delays.

A note to drivers on our roads

• Check your car tires treads and pressure before hitting rain slick roads
• Know that middays can be the most dangerous
• Plan ahead, check road conditions and give yourself plenty of time
• Turn on your headlights
• Slow down!
• If you do end up skidding, don't panic
• Don't drive through standing water
• Pay attention, duh

We have more detailed guidance: Your Guide To Driving Safely In The Rain In LA (And Really Anywhere).

Worried about your heating bills?

While the price of natural gas has come down from the sky-high levels that had many of us shocked at our gas bills, staying warm on a budget is still a concern.

Impact on the drought

We're still in a drought. As our reporter Jacob Margolis noted during the first storms of the year, this is normal for our rainy season. Even if we see an average amount of precipitation, higher temperatures from climate change mean everything dries out faster — making drought conditions worse.

Still, the rains have helped improve our drought situation. Here's the difference in conditions from January to now, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor:

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Brad Pugh

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CPC/NOAA

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Drought conditions in California as of the week of Feb. 14.

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Courtesy U.S. Drought Monitor

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How we're reporting on this

This story has been reported by Gillian Morán Pérez, with contributions from previous storm reporting. We will update this piece throughout the week.

What Questions We're Asking

• What damage are we anticipating?
• When will the rains and wind come to an end?
• What's the risk of mudslides?

Your Questions Or Ideas