Santa Ana Winds, Fresh Cold for Southern California

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

December 7,2013; 6:23PM,EST

 

 

Fresh cold and the return of Santa Ana winds are in store for Southern California to start the new week.
Fresh chilly air will sink into Southern California in the wake of the storm that started the weekend with some rain and low-elevation snow.
The Grapevine section of Interstate 5 was among the lower elevations that saw snow on Saturday. Enough snow fell that officials closed this section of the interstate, according to California's Department of Transportation.
Skies will partially clear Saturday night as the storm departs and more chilly air arrives.

Temperatures in Downtown Los Angeles will drop to near 40 degrees, making for the city's lowest temperature since February. Patchy frost may form late in the coldest valleys.
Temperatures will then be held to the upper 50s Sunday and Monday in Los Angeles, which is 10 degrees below normal.
Monday will turn out to be the sunnier of the two days, but that is when gusty Santa Ana winds will start howling in the mountains and through the passes and canyons that surround Los Angeles.
RELATED:
Detailed Los Angeles Forecast
Forecast Temperature Maps
Los Angeles Interactive Radar
Before the winds develop, it could turn cold enough for patchy frost in the valleys.
A moderate Santa Ana wind event will unfold through Tuesday morning with gusts of 50 to 60 mph expected in the populated areas. Stronger gusts will whip the mountains.
Such gusts could lead to power outages and tree damage. The winds also threaten to overturn high-profile vehicles, including those traveling on the I-5's Grapevine section and I-15's Cajon Pass.
The winds will help prevent temperatures from plummeting Monday night, but the same cannot be said for places that are sheltered from the wind--such as Downtown Los Angeles.
Monday night, Los Angeles will approach the daily record low of 36 F from 1951. Frost is possible in the city's colder wind-sheltered suburbs.

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