Snow Ushers In Winter--Even Where Life’s a Beach

Winter made an authentic entrance into Southern California today, as a massive Arctic weather system scattered light snow along the oceanfront from the Palos Verdes Peninsula to San Clemente and temperatures dropped to near freezing throughout the metropolitan area.

Snowfall in mountains farther inland was considerably heavier and forced closure of Interstate 5 near Gorman, where drifts up to a foot deep were reported. The California Highway Patrol said the storm triggered numerous accidents in the area and dozens of vehicles were stuck in ice and snow.

The snow along the coastline began at about 8 a.m. and melted almost immediately, but not before it had startled commuters accustomed to balmier weather. In San Pedro, residents reported morning flurries that lasted up to 15 minutes.

The National Weather Service said there was a chance of more flurries in the metropolitan area this afternoon, most likely in foothill communities such as La Crescenta, La Canada-Flintridge and Altadena.

Forecasters said the frigid, blustery conditions were caused by a huge, slow-moving low-pressure system that by now is blanketing the western half of the nation.

“The cold air has been spilling down out of the Arctic like heavy syrup, oozing slowly south into the United States,” said Rick Dittmann, a forecaster with WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times. “It’s been cold, and it’s staying cold.”

Today is the winter solstice. Winter begins officially at 7:07 p.m.