Oh the weather is gonna be frightful; where it usually is delightful. LA’s hills will look like Buffalo, New York; it’s gonna snow, gonna snow, gonna snow.
The first blizzard warning since 1989 has been issued for the mountains of Los Angeles County, according to KABC-TV.
KCAL-TV meteorologist Evelyn Taft called the prediction “unbelievable,” according to Newsweek.
“I have to be totally honest, I’ve actually never seen a blizzard warning. I’ve been here for almost 14 years now,” she said.
The National Weather Service warning kicks in at 4 a.m. Pacific Time Friday through 4 p.m. Saturday. It calls for between 2 and 5 feet of snow in the mountains above 4,000 feet, coupled with winds that hit 75 mph.
An impactful winter storm will affect California through early Saturday. Heavy rain is possible in and around Los Angeles on Friday. Heavy mountain snow with blizzard conditions may make for nearly impossible travel including some passes. pic.twitter.com/EmJnXKGgQ6
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) February 23, 2023
Peak elevations could see up to 7 feet of snow, according to Fox Weather.
During that same timeframe, the first-ever blizzard warning for the San Bernardino County mountains will be in effect.
“We have not experienced blizzard-like conditions in our Southern California mountains since before 2007. So, we’re getting ready for an historic event,” KTLA weatherman Kaj Goldberg said, according to KTLA-TV.
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“We’ll be talking about 1 to 2 inches of snow per hour,” Andrew Tardy, with the National Weather Service, said. “We’ll be talking about 2 to 3 feet of snow by Saturday evening.”
“Your eyes are not deceiving you,” Fox Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “All the way down in Southern California, that orange box is a blizzard warning that’s in effect for Friday morning until 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.”
California blizzard warning leaves meteorologists stunned: “Unbelievable” https://t.co/id6WHup6O6
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) February 23, 2023
Fox noted that the blizzard warnings include mountainous areas of Santa Barbara and Fresno counties and that it includes Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. Winds are forecast to gust at up to 60 mph wind gusts, which could bring wind chills of 40 below zero to Southern California.
Grass Valley, northeast of Sacramento, has not had a foot of snow since 2001, and usually has a high of 55 degrees this time of year, according to Fox. It is in an area where the National Weather Service is warning of snowfalls that range from 4 to 12 inches in lower areas and 3 to 6 feet in high elevations.
What’s being called the biggest storm in a decade is about to move into Southern California. The region is under a flood watch and unheard of blizzard warning. Thursday, Friday, Saturday: pic.twitter.com/YxNoczxuZN
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) February 22, 2023
Coastal areas in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara will be spared the snow, but are under flood watches Friday and Saturday with predictions of between 2 and 5 inches of rain, according to Fox.
High wind alerts extend from California east to New Mexico, with warnings that New Mexico could be hit with gusts of 85 mph.
