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Cold Storm Takes Aim at Southern California

A cold storm took aim at Southern California today, threatening a mix of rain and snow, weather officials said.

A cold storm took aim at Southern California today, threatening a mix of rain and snow as low as the 2,500-foot level as strong, gusty winds lash the region, forecasters said.

In the meantime, frost conditions or hard freezes -- a threat to pets and plants -- were reported across the Southland this morning.

A frost advisory was effect until 9 a.m. in the Santa Monica Mountain Recreational Area and the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, and and a freeze warning has been declared in the Antelope Valley until 10 a.m.

Find out what's happening in Belmont Shore-Napleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Snowfalls are expected to start late tonight or early Saturday morning, tapering off Saturday afternoon or evening, according to a National Weather Service advisory.

The storm will be accompanied by gusty north-to-northwest winds, with the strongest expected Saturday night in the area of The Grapevine.

Find out what's happening in Belmont Shore-Napleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A winter weather advisory, denoting the expectation of limited visibility as a result of falling and wind-whipped snow, will go into effect in the mountains of Santa Barbara County at 4 a.m. Saturday and two hours later in the San Gabriel mountains in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, expiring at 3 a.m. Sunday.

In Los Angeles County, the snowfall will start early Saturday morning, peak late morning and early afternoon and turn to scattered showers by late afternoon, the advisory warned, adding: "Showers will continue through the early morning hours Sunday, especially near the Kern County line."

Between 3 and 6 inches of snow are expected to accumulate above 4,500 feet and 1-3 inches between 3,000 and 4,500 feet, according to the advisory. A mix of rain and snow is possible as low as 2,500 feet, it said.

At the same time, the area will be lashed by west-to-northwest winds of between 15 and 30 mph, gusting to 55 mph, with the strongest occurring from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning around the Interstate 5 corridor and over higher peaks, it said.

"The combination of low-elevation snow and gusty winds will make travel hazardous through the mountains," the advisory said, specifically warning of light accumulation on Interstate 5 through the Tejon Pass and Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriels.

The National Weather Service forecast highs today of 43 on Mount Wilson; 50 in Palmdale and Lancaster; 53 in Saugus; 57 in Avalon; 58 in Pasadena and San Gabriel; 59 in Woodland Hills and Anaheim; and 61 in downtown L.A., Long Beach, Newport Beach and at LAX.

While today's forecast projected sunny or partly cloudy skies, Saturday's largely called for showers or rain.

-- City News Service


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