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If coronavirus doesn’t keep you inside, this upcoming cold storm might

Snow covers the Grapevine near the Tejon Pass town of Gorman on Jan. 11, 2013. A system early next week could dust the pass with snow.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Even Angelenos who aren’t “social distancing” for the coronavirus might want to bundle up and stay inside for the next few days.

Southern California’s chilly, rainy conditions are expected to continue through the early part of next week as another winter weather system moves into the region. The cold storm is expected to dump inches of snow on the Grapevine and high desert foothills, the National Weather Service said. Sunday’s forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies, scattered showers and temperatures ranging from the high 40s to the low 60s for much of the region.

The system is expected to drop half an inch to an inch of rain in L.A.’s coasts and valleys and up to 2 inches in the foothills and mountains between Sunday and Monday night before chillier conditions set in.

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Temperatures, including the wind chill, could dip below freezing in the Antelope Valley on Tuesday, officials said. The 5 Freeway through the Grapevine could see some snow. Children, the elderly and individuals with special needs or disabilities are particularly vulnerable to the weather.

On Saturday, Los Angeles County Health Officer Muntu Davis issued a cold weather alert for the Antelope Valley and the county’s mountain areas.

“Extra precaution should be taken” to ensure you don’t get too cold while outdoors, Davis said in a statement. “There are places where people can go to stay warm, such as shelters or other public facilities. We also want to remind people not to use stoves, barbecues or ovens to heat their homes due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.”

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Davis said to be sure to wear warm clothing if going outdoors and to check on family members with limited mobility or access to heat. Pets should be brought indoors during peak cold spells.

Individuals without access to reliable heat can find relief in indoor facilities including malls and, if open, senior centers. One of the usual options, the county’s libraries, will be closed from Saturday through the rest of the month, according to a Saturday announcement.

The Los Angeles County Homeless Services Authority has a winter shelter program for single individuals with transportation and location information.

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For those considering a trip into the mountains to carve through the fresh powder, it might be time to think again.

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in the eastern Sierra and 14 other resorts in North America will close Sunday until further notice, the Denver-based operator of the resorts, Alterra Mountain Co., announced Saturday.

The cold, rainy system brought some welcome relief after the region suffered one of its driest Februaries ever, with some areas recording little to no precipitation.

So far, downtown Los Angeles has received 9.43 inches of rain through March, which is below its annual average of more than 12 inches. Statewide, California’s rain season continues to underperform, with the Sierra snowpack below 40% of its average for this time of year.

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