Dying winter still packs a punch
Gusty winds and a fierce blast of winter air blew across Southern California on Saturday, tossing kayakers from their boats and dusting the Antelope Valley with snow just days before the start of spring.
The low-pressure system from Northern California delivered snow, rain, wind and scattered hail to mountains and valleys, triggering a wind advisory across the region and a gale warning for coastal waters.
“It’s still wintertime, when we get these cold pockets of air moving through,” said meteorologist Curt Kaplan with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
The fast-moving system was expected to head toward San Diego by today, Kaplan said, clearing skies in the Los Angeles area but leaving behind several days of breezes.
The California Highway Patrol reported light to moderate rain falling on Los Angeles freeways Saturday evening, with snow sprinkling the Grapevine but not sticking.
An inch of snow blanketed part of Angeles Forest Highway near Mt. Gleason, the CHP reported, but officers said there were no weather-related road closures.
Lifeguards rescued six kayakers paddling near Marina del Rey on Saturday afternoon after blustery winds reaching 40 mph knocked part of the group into the water, said Capt. Tom Seth of Los Angeles County lifeguard operations in Santa Monica.
At least three sailboats, including one 40-footer, also lost control on the choppy seas near Marina del Rey.
All had to be towed to safety, he said.
“It’s blowing as hard as it’s blown all day,” Seth said Saturday evening. “The surf is well overhead, probably bigger than 6 feet.”
Lifeguards advised against swimming or surfing Saturday, and cautioned people to avoid rocks and jetties where large waves could break, said lifeguard Capt. Shannon Davey in Hermosa Beach.
“This time of year is usually some of our most dangerous,” Davey said. “After our winter storms, we have huge rip currents.”
Although the thunderstorms forecast weren’t expected to dump significant rain on the region, pockets of heavy precipitation were possible. There were reports Saturday of hail battering Pasadena, Altadena, Simi Valley and Fillmore, Kaplan said.
Snow was forecast to sprinkle mountains above 3,500 feet, with accumulations of as much as 4 inches. Temperatures were expected to dip into the 40s in coastal areas and lower in the valleys.
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