'A really cold system': Snow, gusty winds, cold temperatures on tap for Southern California
A storm system from Canada is expected bring a cold, gusty, wet end to an otherwise dry February in Southern California.
Starting late Tuesday, the forecast calls for “very strong” winds, gusting to 60 to 70-plus mph in the mountains, said Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Gusts could reach 35 to 65 mph in coastal and valley areas.
“This is going to be a really cold system. It's going to be 10 to 20 degrees below normal,” she said.
Officials issue storm watch
The agency issued a winter storm watch for the Ventura County mountains, saying the winds could topple trees and blustery conditions will make travel difficult. The watch is set to take effect Tuesday evening and last through Saturday afternoon.
High temperatures along the coast and in valley areas are expected to linger in the low 50s. Overnight lows could dip into the high 30s or low 40s.
Freezing levels are expected to drop as low as 1,000 to 1,500 feet, according to the forecast. That could mean very chilly weather in Conejo Valley and Simi Valley as well as foothill and mountain spots, Lund said.
A cold and strong storm system will bring dangerous conditions to the coastal waters Tuesday through Thursday or Friday with large and steep seas capable of capsizing vessels or breaking vessels off of anchors. Breaking waves may occur at Ventura and Moro Bay Harbor entrances. pic.twitter.com/ATeTUXZPUl
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 20, 2023
Snow, rain in the forecast
The National Weather Service said snow could cause problems on highways, including on Highway 33 north of Ojai and over the Grapevine.
Areas above 6,000 feet could see 2 to 3 feet of snow. Some spots may get as much as 5 feet of snow at the highest elevation areas, Lund said. Lower elections could see 6 inches to a foot of snow from 2,500 to 4,000 feet and 1 to 2 feet of snow from 4,000 to 6,000 feet.
Elsewhere, the forecast calls for light to moderate rain from Wednesday through Sunday.
Light rain on the way
In all, around 1.75 to 3.5 inches is expected from Wednesday through Sunday, according to Lund. The heaviest rain likely will be late Thursday through Friday.
After January storms pummeled parts of the county, crews have worked for weeks to dig out roads, drainage ditches and culverts.
Dave Fleisch, the county's assistant public works director, said crews had made good progress. As of Monday, the upcoming storm system was expected to bring much less rain.
"We're not expecting to see anything like we saw in January," he said.
Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Weather forecast: Cold, gusty storm headed to Ventura County
