Storm Brings Heavy Rain, Cool Temps To Pasadena

LOS ANGELES, CA — A cold winter storm is sweeping across the Southland, bringing rain, snow and unusually cold temperatures for the week.

Local mountains could see more than a foot of snow, and light snow is expected along the grapevine. Scattered showers are expected across Los Angeles through Wednesdays, and overnight lows are expected to drop as low as 45 degrees.

The storm will make travel through the mountains "very difficult to impossible," according to the NatioNal Weather Service.

The National Weather Service said the storm will generate between three-quarters and an inch-and-a-half of rain in coastal and valley areas and between an inch-and-a-half and three inches in the mountains and foothills amid winds of 20 and 40 miles per hour.

In the mountains, between 8 and 14 inches of snow is expected above 6,000 feet while from four to eight inches is forecast from 5,000 to 6,000 feet. Only light accumulation is expected on The Grapevine, elevation 4,144 feet, although snow could fall as low as the 3,000-foot level.

In the San Gabriel Mountains a winter storm warning will be in effect from noon Monday until 3 a.m. Tuesday.

"Icy driving conditions can be expected with possible closures of mountain roads including Highway 2, the Interstate 5 corridor between Gorman and the Grapevine, and possibly Highway 14 through the Soledad Pass. Travel could be very difficult to impossible," warned an NWS statement. "If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency."

The NWS noted that the latest road conditions are available from CalTrans at 800-427-7623.

The NWS forecast rain in L.A. County Monday and highs of 40 degrees on Mount Wilson; 53 in Saugus; 54 in Lancaster; 55 in Palmdale; 57 in Burbank; 58 in San Gabriel an Pasadena; 59 in Woodland Hills; 61 in Long Beach and Avalon; and 62 in Downtown L.A and at LAX. Showers are expected Tuesday, followed by cloudy skies through Saturday and rain on Sunday. Temperatures, meanwhile, will remain in the 60s.

Showers were forecast in Orange County, along with highs of 40 degrees on Santiago Peak; 50 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 55 at Fremont Canyon; 56 at Trabuco Canyon; 58 in Yorba Linda; 59 in Laguna Beach; 60 in San Clemente; 61 in Newport Beach and Anaheim; and 62 in Fullerton and Irvine. Similar or only slightly higher temperatures will prevail through Sunday, when showers are expected.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.