Get the coats and boots ready, because Los Angeles is about to feel a bit like winter.
A cold front will bring arctic air into Southern California Tuesday night, resulting in below freezing temperatures, rain, and severe wind conditions, especially in the Inland Empire.
Westerly winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts of up to 60 mph are expected in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, with the strongest winds in the desert mountain areas. Drivers should travel with caution, as the wind speed – combined with reduced visibility from blowing sand and dust and the possibility of broken tree limbs – may result in hazardous driving conditions.
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There is a chance of isolated rain the San Gabriel Mountains on Tuesday night, and a chance of rain in Los Angeles as well as scattered snowfall across the San Bernardino Mountains on Wednesday.
The moisture will clear up by Thursday, but don’t expect the summer-like conditions to return – the cold air will remain and temperatures will continue to be 10 to 15 degrees below average, with overnight lows below freezing in some areas.
And just because it’s a little chilly doesn’t mean you need to stay indoors. With outdoor ice skating in rinks everywhere from downtown LA to Santa Monica to Irvine, and Bear Mountain Resorts one to two hours away, this weekend is a great time to take advantage of all the winter activities Southern California has to offer.
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Chris Riddle, of Big Bear Mountain Resorts, anticipates that the cooldown will be advantageous for those looking to ski or snowboard this weekend.
"The colder it gets, the better it is for snowmaking," Riddle said. "[It] equates to snow coverage on the ground. It will be amazing the difference between now and this weekend. A lot of terrain will be open, the surface will remain great."
The resort opened Bear Mountain last Wednesday, and expect to open Snow Summit this Friday.
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