California is in for a wild weather weekend complete with heavy snow, flooding rain, blizzard conditions and hurricane-force wind gusts.
A storm is strengthening off of the Golden State, pulling in moisture and getting primed for the main event Friday and Saturday. It will skirt the coast and then head inland across Southern California.
The NWS San Diego office issued its first-ever Blizzard Warning. The Los Angeles Office issued its first in 34 years, hoping residents will heed the warnings and stay off the roads.
The wind-blown snow could create near-white-out conditions. The NWS expects less than a quarter-mile of visibility above 4,000 feet.
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The NWS also issued Blizzard Warnings for higher elevations across Santa Barbara and Fresno counties. Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks are included in the Blizzard Warnings as well. The FOX Forecast Center warned that 80-mph wind gusts could lower wind chills to 35 below zero, which can cause frostbite on exposed skin in 10 minutes.
“Your eyes are not deceiving you,” FOX Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “All the way down in Southern California, that orange box is a Blizzard Warning that’s in effect for Friday morning until Saturday afternoon.”
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Bitter cold temperatures filtered into the state over the past few days, dropping snow levels as low as 1,000 to 1,500 feet. That meant drivers who normally never see snow were slipping and sliding across the coastal ranges. Winter Storm Warnings are in place through Friday.
The California Highway Patrol had to shut down the San Marcos Pass Thursday, a shortcut from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, in both directions for several hours to summon snow plows to clear the road.
The inch of snow that fell was just a taste of more to come.
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The rain, which was spotty on Thursday, fills in on Friday and becomes more widespread. The snow level rises to about 3,000 to 4,000 feet which will spare some drivers from the snow in lower elevations.
Blizzard Warnings and Flood Watches go into effect early Friday morning. Southwest winds pick up from 20 to 35 mph and gust to 50 mph across lower elevations. Higher elevations are in for 35 to 50 mph winds gusting 75 to 80 mph through mountain peaks.
By Friday afternoon and evening, the rain and snow come down heavier. The NWS warns that rain could fall at 1 inch per hour rate, and thunderstorms with hail are even a possibility.
The steady rain and snow will taper off into Saturday morning as the storm pushes east. Watch for a day with brief peaks of sun followed by local downpours.
By the time the storm departs on Sunday, the coast and valleys in Southern California could see 2 to 5 inches of rain. The foothills and lower mountains could see 5 to 10 inches.
The NWS warns that some rivers will be at risk of exceeding flood stage but don’t expect a repeat of the January floods.
“Given the much lower snow levels with this event as compared to the early January storms, there won’t be as much water entering the watershed right away, so there’s less risk there,” said the NWS.
The initial cold blast of air will keep higher elevations in snow.
“The blizzard conditions and the extreme snowfall totals will generally be confined to areas above 6,000 to 7,000 feet,” stated the NWS. “At these elevations, snow amounts are likely to reach historic levels, as much as 4 to 7 feet. At the Grapevine level, around 4,000 feet, amounts in the 6 to 12 inch are possible.”
Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks could see 3 to 5 feet of snow. The Central Sierra Mountains are forecast to see 10 to 30 inches of snow below 7,000 feet and up to 4 feet above.
Coastal ranges in Northern California could see 3 to 6 inches above 1,500 feet which the NWS calls “impactful” for an area not accustomed to snow.
After a brief break on Sunday, another round of rain and snow heads for the state Monday through Wednesday.