Wintry Storm Pushes Cooler Air Into Coachella Valley; Chains Required In Mountains
Drivers traveling through the Idyllwild area today were required to carry chains, with up to a foot of snow expected in the Riverside County mountains through Thursday.
Chain requirements were in place from Pine Cove to Lake Fulmor on state Route 243, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Heavy snow was reported this morning at the 5,200-foot level, according to the National Weather Service.
Roads were clear this morning in Idyllwild, according to Capt. Jim Reyes of Idyllwild Fire Protection.
“We’ve got just a dusting of snow,” Reyes said, adding that the temperature at noon was 29 degrees.
Six to 12 inches of snow are expected through tomorrow at around the 4,000-foot level, the NWS reported.
Cold blustery weather, punctuated by showers, snow in the mountains and possibly thunderstorms and hail, is expected across Southern California today.
Drivers traveling through the Idyllwild area today were required to carry chains, with up to a foot of snow expected in the Riverside County mountains through Thursday.
Chain requirements were in place from Pine Cove to Lake Fulmor on state Route 243, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Heavy snow was reported at the 5,200-foot level, according to the National Weather Service.
Six to 12 inches of snow are expected through tomorrow at around the 4,000-foot level, the NWS reported.
A slight chance of rain will continue into Thursday before the winter- style storm moves east, according to the National Weather Service.
Winds out of the west were gusting up to 40 mph in spots along the coast overnight, and the NWS issued a wind advisory effective until 9 p.m. In Orange County coastal areas, the advisory will be in effect until 6 p.m.
Metro-area highs will be in the low 60s today, and forecasters predict a 50 percent chance of showers.
Snow could fall at elevations as low as 3,500 feet, and that could affect traffic through the two main mountain passes into the Los Angeles Basin. Both Tejon and Cajon passes top out around 4,000 feet.
In the high desert, a wind advisory will be in effect until 8 p.m.
Rainfall totals along the coastal plain are expected to range from a tenth of an inch to about a third of an inch, with as much as three-quarters of inch falling in foothill areas.
A high surf advisory will be in effect until 5 p.m.
Thursday should be partly cloudy, with a 30 percent chance of showers.
