MODERATE LONG DURATION SNOWFALL FOR THE HIGH MOUNTAINS

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MODERATE LONG DURATION SNOWFALL FOR THE HIGH MOUNTAINS

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
600 PM PST FRI FEB 18 2005

...MODERATE LONG DURATION SNOWFALL FOR THE HIGH MOUNTAINS...

.A LARGE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED OFF THE COAST OF
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL CONTINUE TO STEER CONSIDERABLE SUBTROPICAL
MOISTURE INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW
LEVELS THIS EVENING WERE AROUND 6500 FEET. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
RADARS SHOWED PRECIPITATION CONTINUING TO DEVELOP OR MOVE NORTH OVER
THE MOUNTAINS OF VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES. HEAVIEST
PRECIPITATION WAS FALLING IN THE FORM OF RAIN BELOW THE SNOW
LEVEL...BUT SNOWFALL RATES IN THE HIGH MOUNTAINS WILL LIKELY BE
ABOUT 1 INCH EVERY 3 HOURS. AS OF LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON...MOUNTAIN
HIGH IN THE EASTERN SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS REPORTED BETWEEN 4 AND 10
INCHES OF NEW SNOW SINCE LAST EVENING. TONIGHT AND SATURDAY SNOW
LEVELS WILL AVERAGE BETWEEN 6000 AND 6500 FEET...THEN MAY LOWER TO
AROUND 5500 FEET BY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.

MOST OF THE SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION WITH THIS EVENT IS
EXPECTED TO OCCUR ABOVE 7000 FEET. WHILE MODERATE SNOWFALL
INTENSITIES OF 4 TO 7 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED IN ANY 12 HOUR
PERIOD...OVERALL SNOW TOTALS THROUGH SUNDAY WILL RANGE FROM 15 TO 30
INCHES ABOVE 7000 FEET. LESSER ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES CAN
BE EXPECTED BETWEEN 6000 AND 7000 FEET.

THE WEATHER PATTERN IS EVOLVING AND THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT
HEAVIER SNOW THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED COULD IMPACT THE MOUNTAINS ON
SATURDAY AND AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. AFTER DIAGNOSING THE
LATEST AVAILABLE DATA LATER THIS EVENING...A WINTER STORM WARNING
MAY ISSUED.

IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW...THERE WILL BE GUSTY SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH
WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS OVER 40 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH
SATURDAY NIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF BLOWING SNOW AND DENSE FOG COULD
REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS EXCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE-
VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
600 PM PST FRI FEB 18 2005

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM PST SUNDAY
FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...

FOR MODERATE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES IN ANY 12 HOUR
PERIOD. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE LONG DURATION OF THE EVENT...TOTAL
ACCUMULATIONS OF 15 TO 30 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED ABOVE 7000 FEET
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. LESSER ACCUMULATIONS CAN BE EXPECTED BETWEEN
6000 AND 7000 FEET.

BLOWING SNOW AND DENSE FOG WILL COMBINE TO REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR
ZERO AT TIMES. THOSE TRAVELING THROUGH THE HIGH MOUNTAINS THROUGH
SATURDAY NIGHT SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS.
MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO CHECK THE LATEST ROAD REPORTS BEFORE
DEPARTING. ALWAYS CARRY CHAINS AND TAKE EXTRA FOOD AND CLOTHING IF
YOU MUST TRAVEL INTO THE MOUNTAINS.

$$

MOYER


EDIS-02-18-05 1802 PST