Following Chilly Night, Warming Trend Expected Across Southland

LOS ANGELES, CA — A warming trend is expected in Southern California starting Thursday through Tuesday, with high temperatures reaching 10 to 15 degrees above average, and into the 80s in the valleys and lower deserts.

But it was a chilly night across much of the region as a cold storm slowly made its way out of the area. According to the National Weather Service, some record-low temperatures were set Thursday morning, including at Los Angeles International Airport and in Long Beach, although details were not immediately released.

"This morning definitely felt like winter across much of SoCal thanks to a cold mass in the wake of the departing winter storm," according to the NWS. "The interior valleys were the cold spots and dropped into the teens and lower 20s. Closer to the coast, there was quite a wide array of temperatures. Light offshore winds kept temperatures higher in the windier spots, but with such a cold air mass and weak winds upper 30s to low 40s were as high as they stayed. The more wind-protected areas dropped into the lower to mid 30s."

But while it was cold overnight, forecasters said temperatures will be on the rise.

"A warming trend is expected through the middle of next week with light to moderate offshore winds and sunny skies," according to the NWS. "Temperatures will reach the lower 80s across the warmest valleys by mid week. Overnight lows will remain cold with frosts and freezes likely through Friday then start to moderate."

A hard freeze watch will be in place late Thursday night through Friday morning in the Antelope Valley, where forecasters said temperatures could drop as low as 20 degrees. Residents were urged to take precautions, such as draining and wrapping outdoor water pipes to prevent freezing.

The chilly conditions are the tail end of a cold front that brought rain and snow to some areas, forcing an hours-long closure of the Golden State (5) Freeway through the Grapevine on Wednesday morning, stranding thousands of motorists. The route was closed for roughly six hours, finally reopening at about noon.

But conditions were improving dramatically on Thursday.

"As for the rest of the day, it will be very quiet weather-wise with just some light offshore winds and temperatures slowly starting to warm up," forecasters said. "Highs will reach the lower 60s in the warmest spots."

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