NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
820 AM PST THU DEC 19 2002

...A MAJOR WINTER STORM EXPECTED FOR THE SOUTHLAND MOUNTAINS...


A STRONG PACIFIC STORM WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TO THE SOUTHLAND MOUNTAINS. STEADY SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACROSS THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON...THEN SPREAD INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES TONIGHT.


THE SNOW LEVEL IS EXPECTED TO START OUT AT 6000 FEET ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON...THEN LOWER TO AROUND 4500 FEET BY SUNRISE FRIDAY. SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVY AT TIMES WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO BE 8 TO 18 INCHES WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ABOVE 6000 FEET.


IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY SNOWFALL...THIS STORM IS EXPECTED TO PACK VERY POWERFUL WINDS. AHEAD OF AND WITH THE FRONT...SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 30 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 70 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. THIS WILL CREATE BLIZZARD LIKE CONDITIONS AT TIMES...WITH PERIODS OF NEAR ZERO VISIBILITIES DUE TO BLOWING SNOW AND DENSE FOG. AS THE FRONT PASSES...WINDS WILL TURN WESTERLY AND DECREASE.

THE STRONG WINDS WILL LAST ONLY THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...BUT SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY. SNOW LEVELS FRIDAY WILL POSSIBLY LOWER TO AROUND 4000 FEET.

TRAVEL TO THE MOUNTAINS THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY IS DISCOURAGED. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THESE LOCATIONS...TAKE WARM CLOTHING...TIRE CHAINS...AND EMERGENCY SUPPLIES. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL TV OR RADIO STATION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON THIS WINTER STORM.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
820 AM PST THU DEC 19 2002


...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LATE TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY...


TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION BETWEEN 8 AND 14 INCHES ABOVE 5500 FEET. IN ADDITION...SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 70 MPH LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...CAUSING REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. WINDS WILL DECREASE LATE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

$$


VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS EXCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE-820 AM PST THU DEC 19 2002


...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...


TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION BETWEEN 10 AND 18 INCHES ABOVE 6000 FEET. IN ADDITION...SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 60 MPH TONIGHT...CAUSING REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. WINDS WILL DECREASE ON FRIDAY.

$$

WOFFORD/HILGENDORF


[WSWLOX / WWUS46 KLOX 1040315269]

EDIS-12-19-02 0828 PST