Cold weather, strong winds, heavy rains and intense snow have started in Southern California — catching some people off guard on area roads despite multiple warnings ahead of a storm forecasters warn will only intensify in coming days.
For what appears to be the first time on record, blizzard warnings have been issued by National Weather Service offices for our mountain areas all across the region: from the San Bernardinos in the south to the Transverse ranges that stretch north of Los Angeles.
The worst of the storm is expected to arrive Friday, but as of noon on Thursday, wind gusts of 101 mph had already been recorded and snow had already begun to accumulate.
[CORRECTED] Here's a look at some of the snow totals we've received so far. Many other locations in the hills have seen dustings, thanks to the photos many of you have posted.
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 23, 2023
Click this link for the full rainfall/snowfall summary thus far: https://t.co/KeBvEHapBY pic.twitter.com/j8p4rVG4kd
On Highway 154, which links Santa Barbara and Los Olivos, vehicles got stuck when an inch of snow fell on San Marcos Pass, according to John Gutierrez, public information officer with the California Highway Patrol. The pass is only at about 2,200 feet elevation — another example of how far snow levels have dropped. Since it was at such a low altitude, it didn't stick around for long and the road was reopened as of 2:40 p.m. Thursday.
Snow falling near the 2,200 ft summit of San Marcos Pass on Highway 154 caught drivers off guard, briefly stranding them until Caltrans plows could clear the highway. The CHP has shut down Hwy 154 in both directions for an unknown duration. pic.twitter.com/VZuITuiZOo
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) February 23, 2023
Eric Boldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, cautions this snowfall is not a winter wonderland scenario.
"Because we're thinking that this snow coming down is going to be so intense in combination with very strong winds — we're talking winds of 60 to 75 mph — this is going to be extremely dangerous for anybody traveling or spending any time in the higher elevations of our local mountains," Boldt explained on LAist 89.3's AirTalk.
"It's a really dangerous situation that ... could lead to avalanche activity, something that's not very common here," he said, adding that even after the storm passes the remaining snowpack will be dangerous.
With risks of mudslides as the rain intensifies, evacuation warnings have been issued in part of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
In L.A. County, evacuation warnings have been issued for unincorporated areas near the Lake Fire and north end of the Bobcat Fire burn scars due to the potential for mud or debris flows. Those warnings are effective from Thursday at 6 p.m. through Sunday, Feb. 26 at 6 a.m.
Ventura County has put evacuation warnings in place from 3 p.m. Thursday through 10 a.m. Saturday, as they're expecting four to six inches of rain in the foothills and as much as five feet of snow in their mountains above 4,500 feet. Debris flows are often of concern in the area during heavy rain events, especially in recently burned areas.
A cutoff low and an #AtmosphericRiver will produce heavy rain and snow across California tonight through Saturday. The heaviest precipitation is expected to occur in the Transverse Ranges as the AR makes landfall.
— CW3E Scripps (@CW3E_Scripps) February 23, 2023
For a quick look at the forecast, visit: https://t.co/ffDBre4JxR pic.twitter.com/U59a8IdX2d
From Thursday until Sunday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is anticipating debris flows in some recently burned areas, including near the:
A flash flood watch will be in effect from Friday at 4 a.m. to Saturday afternoon from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.
Here's an excerpt from our guide to understanding flood warnings:
Read more: Flash Flood Warnings? Watches? Here’s What You Need To Know
Today (Thursday, Feb. 23), wind gusts in the mountains are expected to reach up to 75 to 80 miles per hour. A high surf advisory is in place from 10 a.m. until Friday at 8 a.m. Hail was reported throughout the region as the storm passed through on Thursday morning.
Among the cautions from meteorologists:
We are still on track for our DANGEROUS winter storm. Expect blizzard conditions in the mountains with FEET of snowfall. A few inches of rain are expected in lower elevations. Be weather ready! #CAwx #LArain #LAsnow #blizzard pic.twitter.com/HbUn08J2qQ
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 23, 2023
Dangerous marine conditions are still expected with gusty winds, large steep seas, and high surf. It is advised to stay out of the water during this time. #CAwx #marine pic.twitter.com/B5cPoF8aLu
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 23, 2023
The weather concerns go far beyond the Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles County mountains.
The National Weather Service in San Diego — which covers San Diego, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties — also issued its first blizzard warning on record and said that travel on mountain roads will be impossible.
.@NWSSanDiego has issued a Blizzard Warning for the San Bernardino County Mountains from 4 AM Friday to 4 PM Saturday. Travel will be nearly impossible.#SBCoFD Snowcat 26 is ready to respond in Twin Peaks along with 8 others ready to serve each of our mountain communities. pic.twitter.com/VAtJCagSPD
— San Bernardino County Fire (@SBCOUNTYFIRE) February 24, 2023
"This is going to be due to whiteout conditions," said Elizabeth Schenk, a National Weather Service meteorologist. "It's going to be extremely treacherous."
Watch the snow accumulate on a live stream of train tracks on Cajon Pass.
Anticipate dangerous driving conditions across the Inland Empire, as heavy rain and temperatures 25 degrees below normal are going to impact those living in the shadow of the San Bernardino mountains in the coming days.
As of Thursday at 5 p.m., Bear Mountain Snow Summit had received 27 inches of snow. Several other communities nearby were hit with more than a foot of snow,
According to both SoCal Edison and the L.A. Department of Water and Power, repair crews are standing by, ready to respond to damage done to power lines.
As of Thursday afternoon, SoCal Edison spokesperson David Song said that the system was performing "pretty well," though about 1,900 customers were without power.
Much like an outlet, the system can trip when the sensing equipment detects a disturbance on lines or transformers, according to Song. While outages can be widespread initially, operators can quickly reduce the outage duration.
"Once that happens, our system can test, and it's safe to do so, restore power back to areas that aren't affected by any kind of fault."
Never touch a downed power line. Call 911 if you see one.
You can track both LADWP and SoCal Edison outages online.
The L.A. Fire Department shared tips with us on everything from good weather alert apps to download to what you can do to get your house ready — and where you can pick up sandbags.
Read more: A Storm Is Coming. LA Fire Officials Have These Tips On Getting Ready Now
The storm should peak between Friday and Saturday, before wrapping up by Sunday. But Mother Nature isn't done yet — there’s another storm anticipated mid-next week.
Caltrans has been salting the roads in preparation for the storm and has mobilized snow clearing equipment. They said that keeping the Grapevine open is a priority, however, icy conditions may keep the roads closed for a while.
Keep in mind:
Both Caltrans and the L.A. County Department of Public Works have road closures and conditions listed on their sites.
We have more detailed guidance: Your Guide To Driving Safely In The Rain In LA (And Really Anywhere).
Last night in Orange County, the Cold Weather Emergency Shelter reached full occupancy for the first time, with 90 individuals experiencing homelessness staying the night. OC officials didn't open the shelter until Feb. 1, even though storms have been battering California residents for months.
The shelter provides meals and showers. Transportation to the shelter is available.
Winter shelters are available throughout Los Angeles County:
[View the document here if it doesn't load above for you: L.A. County winter shelters]
The California Office of Emergency Services has posted a list of warming centers throughout the state.
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:
About 30% of California's water comes from the snow up in the Sierra, and as of Thursday, the snow levels are at 142% of our April 1 average. With more snow in the forecast, it’s time to take a breath and feel good for a moment, because at least drought conditions aren’t getting worse.
“Moving forward, between our reservoirs, the snowpack we have on the hill, as well as the snowpack throughout the entire southwestern U.S., we’re looking pretty favorable for an upcoming year that’ll help bring us out of drought instead of sending us further into it,” Andrew Schwartz, lead scientist and manager at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, told LAist 89.3's AirTalk. “It’s just really helping us start to resolve our drought issues in the long term.”
Groundwater stores are still in a deficit and will take quite more than just one good year of precipitation to replenish. As for the current load of snow, ideally it will melt slowly over the coming months (usually starting in May), so that the water has an opportunity to percolate deep into the ground, and feed plants, trees, rivers, and reservoirs long into our dry season.
Whether that happens depends on the type of weather we see. Higher temperatures could hit us at any time, get to work melting the snow and increasing evaporative demand. In that case, things will start to dry faster than is ideal and greater stress will be put on our landscapes. Rising temperatures as a result of climate change are taking a toll, and it’s important to remember that the next big drought year could be right around the corner.
Jacob Margolis, who covers science, is reporting on weather conditions, including wind chill. Jackie Orchard is reporting on the response from emergency services and government agencies. Jill Replogle is reporting on conditions in Orange County. Gillian Morán Pérez has been talking to the NWS. Additional LAist staff are contributing photos and more information.
