Brrr! Freeze Warning In Effect For Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA — A cold air mass behind a storm that has coursed though the Southland generated frigid temperatures Tuesday morning will do so again Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, forecasters said. The warning applies to areas of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County.

A freeze warning, which indicates impending temperatures of 29 to 32 degrees for two or more consecutive hours and is a bit less serious than a hard-freeze warning, will be in effect until 9 a.m. in the Santa Monica Recreation Area.

"Protective measures to save crops and sensitive vegetation should be taken," when a freeze warning is issued, according to the NWS. "Vulnerable animals and pets should be kept indoors in a house or barn."

A frost advisory will be in effect until 9 a.m. in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys. Frost can damage plants and harm pets, just like more serious categories of cold-weather warnings.

No cold-weather warnings were in effect in the Antelope Valley this morning despite highs of 30 degrees. The NWS stops issuing such warnings for the Antelope Valley after the first two in one year since the area is almost always frigid at this time of the year, explained NWS meteorologist Robie Munroe.

The region also coped with strong winds Monday, but the last L.A County wind advisory expired at 10 p.m. that day. The storm, which was largely dry, had escaped to imperial County by early Tuesday morning, NWS meteorologist Andrew Rorke said.

Powerful wind gusts were recorded in Los Angeles County Monday, including 51 miles per hour at Lake Palmdale in the Antelope Valley, 49 mph in Warm Springs in the San Gabriel Mountains, 48 mph in parts of metropolitan Los Angeles, 43 mph at Whittier Hills in the San Gabriel Valley and 42 mph in Glendale in the San Fernando Valley.

Off the coast, a small craft advisory pointing to danger for small vessels, especially those with inexperienced mariners, expired at 3 a.m. Tuesday.

The NWS forecast sunny skies in L.A County Tuesday and highs of 44 degrees on Mount Wilson; 50 in Palmdale and Lancaster; 55 in Saugus and Avalon; 59 in San Gabriel; 60 in Woodland Hills, Pasadena and Long Beach; and 62 in Downtown L.A. and at LAX. Temperatures will begin to slowly ramp up Saturday.

Sunny skies were also forecast in Orange County, along with highs of 56 in San Clemente; 58 in Laguna Beach; 59 in Newport Beach and Mission Viejo; 61 in Yorba Linda and Irvine; and 62 in Fullerton; and Anaheim. Temperatures will start rising slowly Saturday.

Southland temperatures will remain 12-18 degrees below normal for the next two days thanks to a heavy infusion of cold Canadian air, Rorke said, adding that there would be no return to above-normal temperatures for at least another eight days.

City News Service; Photo: NPS, Neal Herbert