A cold Pacific storm heading toward Southern California on Thursday is expected to bring rain, snow and winter temperatures that could break local records.
Here’s what you need to know about the system expected to shake up spring weather for at least the next two days:
When does it happen?
The storm is expected to head inland and move toward Southern California beginning Thursday. It arrived from the northern Pacific and brought with it freezing temperatures.
“It’s just off the coast of northern California,” Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said Thursday morning. “The cold front will move through the area, likely toward (Los Angeles), this evening and then overnight.”
The storm has already started to have an impact, with rain and some low-level snow recorded Thursday morning in the Bay Area, where temperatures dropped significantly from Wednesday’s highs.
Friday is expected to be even colder than Thursday, Wofford said.
Where can we expect to see the effects of storms?
Almost all of California can expect cold, wet weather from this storm – from snow in the mountains to dangerous waves along the coast.
Showers and thunderstorms are forecast across the state through Friday and are expected to be intermittent and severe only in isolated areas.
In the Los Angeles County mountains and Antelope Valley foothills – including the Interstate 5 and Interstate 14 corridors – a winter weather advisory will go into effect at 5 p.m. Thursday through Friday evening, authorities warning that snow could make travel very difficult.
“Delays or temporary closures are possible on many mountain roads, including Interstate 5 through Grapevine,” the National Weather Service said.
In the San Bernardino Mountains and Riverside County, a winter storm warning will begin Thursday at 4 p.m. and last through Friday evening. Officials warn that the heaviest snowfall is expected Friday, when driving through the mountains will be difficult, especially through Cajon Pass.
“Hazardous conditions may impact morning or evening travel,” the warning states. “Very strong winds could cause significant damage to trees. »
Snow is expected Thursday and Friday throughout the Sierra Nevada, with the southern portion and some mountains of Kern County under a winter weather advisory through Friday evening. There could be up to a foot of snow and winds of 60 mph at elevations above 3,000 feet, according to the weather service.
The northern Sierra Nevada mountains are bracing for between 6 and 24 inches of snow, while the Shasta and western Colusa County mountains are expecting between 4 and 10 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
What’s coming?
The most notable feature of the storm will be the cold, Wofford said.
“It’s cooler this morning (in Southern California), but the coldest air really won’t arrive until Friday,” Wofford said. “Tomorrow, temperatures will not exceed the 50s in most areas. In some parts of the country it is a beautiful day, but in Southern California it is significantly below normal.”
After reaching highs in the 70s on Wednesday, temperatures Thursday dropped at least 10 degrees, if not more, Wofford said, with another 5-degree drop expected for Friday.
“We should see light rain late this afternoon or early evening, with showers and thunderstorms possible throughout Friday evening,” Wofford said. Depending on the strength and location of the storms, some areas could see heavy downpours, small hail, lightning and even a small tornado, he said.
But rain totals shouldn’t be too high, with about a half-inch forecast for most of Los Angeles County and an inch expected in the foothills and mountains.
Elevations as low as 3,000 feet in LA County could see about an inch of snow, according to the National Weather Service. Above 4,500 feet, totals should be between 3 and 6 inches.
Up to a foot of snow is possible on the highest peaks of the San Bernardino Mountains and Riverside County, with 2 to 4 inches of snow possible between 4,000 and 5,000 feet elevation.
There is also concern about high surf on the Central Coast up to San Diego, with warnings of waves of 8 to 16 feet and dangerous rip currents. This will remain a problem through Saturday and Friday morning there will be a possibility of minor coastal flooding.
Could this storm break records?
It’s very possible that Friday’s cold temperatures could set daily records, Wofford said. The current all-time record for the coldest April 5 in downtown Los Angeles is 55 degrees, which is the high expected for Friday.
At Los Angeles International Airport, the coldest April 5 on record reached 59 degrees, and Friday is expected to be colder than that, Wofford said.
“It’s going to be close,” Wofford said. “There seems to be a good chance we’ll get them.”
As for precipitation, Wofford said the region is unlikely to hit records, even though it is close to its wettest two-year stretch in history. Downtown Los Angeles is less than two inches away from reaching that record — and could do so any time before the end of September — but this storm isn’t expected to push the total over the edge.
The wettest consecutive water years on record currently stands at 54.1 inches of rain, occurring in the late 1800s. Currently, Downtown Los Angeles is at 52.46 inches as of October 1, 2022 .(Water years extend from October to September.)
“It’s unlikely we’ll get there with this storm, but it’s not impossible,” Wofford said.
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