A winter storm brought high surf and the possibility of flooding along Southern California’s coast while the rest of the region should brace for windy and cold conditions to end the week.
SoCal’s forecast includes several advisories and warnings as an area of low pressure dropping to the south generates elevated surf at the coast, snow in the mountains and increased winds in the rest of the region.
Increased winds
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Southern California is in for breezy conditions that have prompted a wind advisory for much of the region. Residents should prepare for increased, northwest winds that may travel at speeds of up to 40 mph and isolated gusts that have the potential to reach 70 mph through Thursday.
“The strongest winds are expected (Wednesday) night and into (Thursday) morning,” said NBC4 forecaster Belen De Leon.
These gusts come with the potential for tree damage and power outages. With that in mind, De Leon advised the following:
- Use caution while driving
- Secure loose items
- Be careful where you park
- Charge your devices.
The coast
A high surf advisory and a coastal flood advisory have been put in place from Ventura to Orange County through Thursday. With this comes the potential for strong rip currents and minor flooding.
“With dangerous swimming conditions, it’s best to just stay out of the water,” De Leon warned.
The upcoming surf event is not forecasted to be as destructive as the system from last month.
“It looks like this event won’t be as severe as the one before the new year but of course, we do have some high surf around 5 to 8 feet that we’ll be watching as we head into (Thursday),” NBC4 Meteorologist Stephanie Olmo said.
While bracing for the upcoming high surf, Ventura is continuing to deal with the aftermath of last month’s surf that flooded local streets. In late December, elevated surf caused authorities to shut down Ventura beaches and issue evacuation orders.
In anticipation of this week’s surf, the city declared a local state of emergency on Wednesday. This declaration allows for the expedition of disaster response and emergency funding from California to help in aid recovery. Ventura will remain under the declaration for 60 days.
The mountains
Thanks to that same area of low pressure that is generating the elevated surf, there will be a chance of snow in the mountains and other high elevations. Now through noon, a winter storm warning is in effect in the Grapevine while Frazier Park and areas north of it face a winter weather advisory.
The best chance for snow is forecasted for the overnight hours.
