Winter Storm Warning Issued for San Bernardino and Riverside County Mountains Through Wednesday
A major winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow and wind gusts up to 75 mph to Southern California mountains, creating impossible travel conditions through Wednesday afternoon.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the mountain regions of Southern California. The alert is effective immediately and remains in place until 12:00 PM PST on Wednesday, February 18.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions:
- San Bernardino County Mountains
- Riverside County Mountains
What You Should Do
Travel could be very difficult to impossible, particularly during the Tuesday morning and evening commutes. If you must travel, the National Weather Service recommends keeping an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle for emergencies. For the latest road conditions, residents should call 5 1 1.
Expected Conditions
Significant snow accumulation and high winds are forecast for the region:
- Snowfall Totals: Through Tuesday morning, 1 to 3 inches are expected between 5,500 and 6,000 feet, with up to 8 inches above 7,500 feet. A second, more intense wave Tuesday night into Wednesday morning will bring 4 to 8 inches (5,000-6,000 feet), 8 to 16 inches (6,000-7,000 feet), and 16 to 20 inches above 7,000 feet.
- Wind Speeds: Southwest winds will gust between 45 and 55 mph initially. Between Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon, gusts are expected to reach 55 to 75 mph on the desert slopes, which may cause extensive tree damage.
- Snow Levels: Levels will drop to 4,700-5,200 feet tonight and are expected to fall further to 3,500-4,500 feet by Wednesday afternoon.
Timeline
The warning is in effect until noon PST Wednesday. While the heaviest precipitation is expected Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, additional light snow (2 to 4 inches above 5,000 feet) may continue through Thursday.
Source: NOAA Official Notice