STORM THIS WEEKEND!!!
Watches and Warnings
ANTELOPE VALLEY-CATALINA ISLAND-CUYAMA VALLEY-LOS ANGELES COUNTY COAST INCLUDING DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES-LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS EXCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE-LOS ANGELES COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CENTRAL COAST-SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SANTA BARBARA COUNTY CENTRAL COAST-SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST-SANTA CLARITA VALLEY-SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS RECREATIONAL AREA-SANTA YNEZ VALLEY-VENTURA COUNTY COAST-VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
200 PM PST WED MAR 15 2006
...ANOTHER COLD STORM TO AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA ON
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...
A COLD UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP
ALONG THE WEST COAST ON THURSDAY...WITH THE LOW PRESSURE AREA
CENTERED OFF THE COAST OF OREGON. THIS SYSTEM WILL DIVE SOUTHWARD
THROUGH SATURDAY...BRINGING A GOOD CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION...LOW
SNOW LEVELS...COLD TEMPERATURES...AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE REGION.
THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS EARLY AS THURSDAY NIGHT FOR
AREAS NORTH OF POINT CONCEPTION...WITH SHOWERS BECOMING LIKELY ACROSS
THE ENTIRE REGION FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. DUE TO THE LIMITED
AMOUNT OF MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORM...IT DOES NOT APPEAR
TO BE A SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD RAIN PRODUCER. HOWEVER THE COLD AND
UNSTABLE NATURE OF THIS WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR
HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL...AS WELL AS FUNNEL
CLOUD AND WATERSPOUT ACTIVITY. DUE TO THE SHOWERY NATURE OF THE
PRECIPITATION...RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE QUITE VARIABLE.
IN GENERAL...RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN LESS THAN ONE HALF
INCH ACROSS COASTAL AND VALLEY AREAS...WITH LOCALLY UP TO ONE INCH
ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND AREAS NEAR THUNDERSTORMS OR HEAVY SHOWERS.
THE SNOW LEVEL IS GENERALLY EXPECTED TO RANGE BETWEEN 4500 AND 5500
FEET ON FRIDAY...THEN LOWER TO BETWEEN 2500 AND 3500 FEET LATE
FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. THE POTENTIALLY LOW SNOW LEVELS COULD
ONCE AGAIN BRING ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL TO MOST OF THE MOUNTAIN
PASSES THIS WEEKEND...INCLUDING INTERSTATE 5 FROM THE GRAPEVINE TO
CASTAIC...AS WELL AS HIGHWAY 14 THROUGH SOLEDAD CANYON. IN
ADDITION...THERE COULD BE SNOW ACROSS THE ANTELOPE AND CUYAMA
VALLEYS...ESPECIALLY IN THE FOOTHILLS. SNOW ADVISORIES WILL LIKELY BE
NEEDED ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...WHERE 4 TO 7 INCHES OF NEW SNOW WILL
BE POSSIBLE.
THE EXACT TRACK AND TIMING OF THIS STORM IS STILL UNCERTAIN AND THIS
WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE RAIN AND SNOW AMOUNTS. THE COLD
UNSETTLED WEATHER COULD BE DEADLY FOR UNPREPARED HIKERS OR CAMPERS IN
REMOTE AREAS. PEOPLE SHOULD STAY INFORMED ON THE UPCOMING COLD STORM...
ESPECIALLY THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN AREAS.
