Spring Finally Returning to Southland
Sunny and warm weather usually isn’t big news in Southern California, but lately it’s somewhat of a headliner.
Beginning today, said Jonathan Slemmer of the National Weather Service, we’re going to have “typical Southern California weather--finally!”
The best part is that it’s expected to last through the end of the week and possibly into the weekend, forecasters say.
“There will be a drying and warming trend with temperatures in the upper 60s today and the mid-70s to lower 80s in the valleys by Wednesday,” Slemmer said.
A series of late-season storms originating in the Gulf of Alaska have hit Southern California with rain and cold temperatures unusual for this time of the year, Slemmer said.
Over the weekend it was 26 degrees in Lancaster, breaking a record set in April 1950 when the temperature was 28 degrees. Another record was set in Simi Valley on Saturday where it was 39 degrees, breaking a 1975 temperature of 43 for that date, Slemmer said.
“A whole bunch of storms just lined up and hit the area real good,” he said.
Although communities in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys received large amounts of rain--and in some areas, snow--on Sunday, no records were set.
Newhall got 1.22 inches of rain Sunday, the highest in the Santa Clarita Valley, and Northridge, with 1.09 inches, recorded the highest in the San Fernando Valley.
At Los Angeles International Airport, however, 1.35 inches fell Sunday, the most for an April day since April 27, 1960, when 1.26 inches was recorded.
In the higher elevations snow caused road closures, stranding motorists.
The Golden State Freeway was closed at Castaic from Sunday evening and until about 9 a.m. Monday, Officer Shirley Gaines of the California Highway Patrol said.
Angeles Crest Highway also was closed Sunday at the junction with Angeles Forest Highway. It was reopened to the 6,000-foot level Monday afternoon to motorists equipped with chains, but remained closed above 6,000 feet because of the threat of avalanches, according to Karen Facaine of the CHP.
“No other roads were closed, but some others may require chains to get through,” Gaines said.
At the Flying J lodge in Frazier Park, the strange weather brought in lots of stranded drivers traveling on the nearby Golden State Freeway.
“This is very different for this time of the year, and everyone is wondering what’s going on,” said Cindy Buckley, assistant manager of the lodge restaurant. “I got stuck driving to work three times in four miles, and I have chains.”
Buckley was ecstatic to hear the forecast for the week.
“Heavens, I thought I’d definitely be sunning it up by now. I can’t wait! We’re really counting on it because if it’s sunny, lots of people will come up and play in the snow.”