Freezing weather, strong winds hit Southern California; Grapevine closed due to snow, ice
LOS ANGELES — Freezing weather and strong winds struck the Southland Monday morning, with high temperatures expected to be below 60 degrees in almost all areas once the day gets underway in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
A wind advisory heralding gusts of 35 miles per hour was in force until 4 a.m. in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains, the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, and the Los Angeles coastal zone, which consists of the beach cities, metropolitan Los Angeles, downtown L.A., and the Hollywood Hills.
Northwest to north winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour gusting to 50 mph were blowing across the San Gabriels but was blowing at 15-25 mph with 40-mph gusts in the valleys.
Strong northwest-north winds and cold temperatures expected across portions of SW Calif tonight, with wind gusts 40-50 mph. Dangerous wind chills in the mountains. #LAwind #cawx #LAWeather #Socal pic.twitter.com/Zs1ms8BOnm
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 10, 2019
Also in effect — until 8 a.m. — was a freeze warning in the Santa Clarita Valley and a frost warning in the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains.
But a winter weather advisory denoting highly challenging travel conditions was allowed to expire this morning in the San Gabriel Mountains in L.A. and Ventura counties, and Interstate 5 was reopened in both directions at the Grapevine in the San Gabriel Mountains about 2:40 a.m. after being closed down because of snow and ice.
GRAPEVINE: I-5 is now CLOSED in both directions due to inclement weather. Closure on Southbound I-5 at Grapevine Road, northbound closure near State Route 138. No ETO at this time. pic.twitter.com/tv5XPt5FGJ
— Caltrans District 6 (@CaltransDist6) February 11, 2019
Chilly temperatures will persist at least through Sunday, according to an extended National Weather Service forecast.
The NWS forecast sunny weather Monday and highs of 42 degrees on Mount Wilson; 50 in Lancaster; 52 in Palmdale; 57 in Santa Clarita, Avalon and at LAX; 58 in Long Beach and Pasadena; and 59 in Downtown L.A, San Gabriel, Burbank and Woodland Hills.
No L.A County community was forecast to even reach 60 Monday. Tuesday’s highs will be a few degrees higher amid partly cloudy skies, then revert roughly to Monday’s temperatures amid rain Wednesday, followed by showers Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Here are preliminary rainfall totals expected between Tuesday evening through Thursday night. Overall 1-2.5″ Coast/Valleys 2.5 to 4″ for the foothills/Mountains. #CAwx #LArain #Socal pic.twitter.com/Qjo2UGMyij
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 11, 2019
Sunny skies were also forecast in Orange County Monday, along with highs of 40 on Santiago Peak; 52 on Ortega Canyon at 2,600 feet; 55 in Fremont Canyon; 56 in Trabuco Canyon; 57 in San Clemente; 58 in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Yorba Linda; 59 in Mission Viejo; and 61 in Fullerton, Anaheim and Irvine. Temperatures will be a little higher Tuesday amid partly cloudy skies, then fall back a few degrees, with rain forecast Wednesday and Thursday, mostly cloudy skies Friday and Saturday and showers Sunday.