Coldest Storm In Several Years Headed To Pacific Palisades

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — Pacific Palisades authorities cautioned residents ahead of what could possibly be the coldest storm to hit the area in several years, the National Weather Service said.

A flurry of warnings were issued for Los Angeles County in anticipation of the storm beginning Tuesday night through to Saturday afternoon including winter storm, high winds and dangerous surf warnings.

“The coldest storm of the season, and possibly of the last several years is expected to impact southwest #CAwx Wed-Fri or Sat with showers across coasts and valleys with mainly snow across the mountains and deserts,” NWS said on Twitter.

Temperatures will be significantly colder, going 10 to 20 degrees below normal. Winds in Mountains and foothills could blow at drastic speeds up to 70 miles per hour, and coastal winds have a chance of reaching 50 miles per hour.

Officials cautioned against driving, saying travel will be difficult and winds could cause severe damage to trees and other objects. Kristen Stewart with NWS LA said travelers looking to visit snowy areas should be prepared for drastic conditions and should be very cautious.

“Travel should be avoided,” Stewart said. “Even going up to the resorts like Big Bear could be potentially dangerous.”

Mountains in the county can expect up to five inches of snowfall with areas at higher elevations expected to see multiple feet of snow. This storm system will bring snow down to lower elevations than normal, impacting areas about 1,500 feet and above Stewart said.

Rain is also forecasted to hit Pacific Palisades for several days starting Wednesday and ending Sunday, according to Accuweather. Los Angeles County residents can expect up to four inches of rain to hit the area through Saturday, Stewart said.

Coastal areas including Pacific Palisades beaches can expect waves to reach up to 14 feet tall according to Stewart.

“There is going to be a lot of significant impacts so stay aware and cautious,” Stewart said. “There is pretty much a bunch of everything going on all at once.”