Severe weather arrived in Southern California Tuesday morning. Rain and snow are expected to fall in some areas, with “life-threatening” winds and dangerous fires expected to continue into the afternoon.
“This is a pretty strange forecast,” said KTLA meteorologist Henry DiCarlo. “I’ve been doing this job for a long time, and we’ve had rain and snow in the morning, fog that would occur without wind, and the threat of very windy conditions tonight. I’ve never really seen a setup like that. … In some of the highest areas, wind gusts can exceed 160 miles per hour.”
January 7, 2024 sees snow in the San Bernardino Mountains. (OnScene.TV) Caltrans cameras show rain on the 15 Freeway in the Inland Empire on January 7, 2024.
The morning started with a blizzard in the mountains, followed by light rain that made some roads inland slippery.
“We’re definitely seeing some rain in the Inland Empire region…we could even see some snow down to about 4,000 feet this morning,” Henry said.
A small low-pressure system in the northeast has brought rain and snow, but it could move out of the area soon.
Even as it continues, the main weather concern is the powerful Santa Ana wind event, which officials describe as “life-threatening,” “extreme” and “destructive.”
(National Weather Service) (National Weather Service)
“Wind damage, fire concerns, all the things we’re talking about with Santa Anas. And now we’re going to raise the bar a little bit, because it’s very strong,” Henry said. “This could be one of the strongest wind events in recent years.”
In preparation for the increased risk of wind disasters and wildfires, CAL Fire is increasing staffing and proactively deploying resources to fire-prone areas.
CAL Fire sent 45 additional fire engines and six paramedics from Northern California to augment resources in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties. Local forces are manning additional engines, personnel, bulldozers and water trucks around the clock, officials said.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag for much of Southern California on Tuesday and Wednesday over concerns that a small spark could turn into an out-of-control wildfire.
The Franklin Fire, which burned more than 4,000 acres and destroyed several homes in Malibu, occurred in December under similar circumstances.
Residents of fire-prone areas are encouraged to have evacuation plans, emergency bags, and strategies for their pets.
For more fire prevention resources, visit ReadyForWildfire.org. Real-time updates on the ongoing fire and situation can be found here.
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