A small number of Los Angeles County residents may awaken to a white Christmas, but drivers on Interstate 5 over the Grapevine may encounter snow, the National Weather Service warned Wednesday.
A cold front is approaching the Southland, but it is not strong enough to bring much rain to Los Angeles itself, forecasters said.
Snow is expected to fall on the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains, starting late Wednesday. The snow level will at first be 6,500 feet above sea level, but drop to the 4,000 foot contour on Christmas morning. Interstate 5 tops out just above 4,100 feet above sea level at Lebec, 50 miles north of Los Angeles City Hall. The 8-lane freeway is occasionally closed when snow falls or ice forms on the freeway.
About 1-3 inches of snow could also fall at Acton, Frazier Park and Wrightwood.
Winds could gust up to 65 miles per hour, causing blinding snow, the NWS said.
In the valleys of Los Angeles County, people can expect cloudy conditions and sustained winds of 20-30 miles per hour, with some 50 mph gusts, according to an NWS advisory for overnight.
The Antelope Valley will see wind gusts up to 50 mph starting around 10 p.m. tonight, the forecast said.
— City News Service