It won’t just be drunken drivers making the roads unsafe for New Year’s Eve as a bigger, colder storm front is expected to move into the Southland Saturday that could trigger snowfall at low elevations.
The storm could creat dangerous driving conditions on New year’s Eve in the San Gabriel Mountains and on the road to Las Vegas.
This comes on the heels of a low-pressure system that moved through the area Friday and produced at least 0.7 inches of rain but had little impact in the mountains, where the snow level will remain at around 7,000 feet, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters did not predict “copious amounts of rain” out of the two storm systems but there could be some mud flows down slopes stripped by wildfires if thunderstorms develop, which is possible Saturday, said NWS meteorologist Curt Kaplan.
Saturday’s weather system will be colder and again will trigger showers but have much greater impact in the San Gabriels, where, starting this afternoon, it will spark snow showers at between 3,500 and 4,000 feet across mountain roads and passes, including the Interstate 5 Corridor between Gorman and The Grapevine, creating “dangerous driving conditions,” the NWS said.
A winter weather advisory will be in effect in the San Gabriels from 8 a.m. until midnight Saturday. East winds of between 15 and 25 mph gusting to 35 mph are in the forecast, but no wind advisories were issued.
Between 3 and 6 inches of snow are expected above 6,000 feet, with up to 8 inches possible above 7,000 feet in the eastern San Gabriels, according to the NWS.
Snow and icy conditions are also expected on Interstate 15 through the Cajon Pass and mountain passes near the Nevada border Saturday, risking “hazardous wintry driving conditions.”
“Motorists should be prepared for hazardous driving conditions due to snow and ice-covered roads,” according to the NWS. “Check the latest road reports before departing. Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle which includes a flashlight, food and water, extra clothes and blankets, and tire chains.”
—City News Service