Residents find themselves surprised at the region’s wintery weather.
Recently, the residents of Southern California have been experiencing unprecedented amounts of rain. Not only has there been pouring rain but also several snow storms.
It is very uncommon for Southern California to receive blizzard warnings, which has surprised many residents throughout the region.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the last time a blizzard warning was given to L.A. was decades ago: “Similar wintry conditions occurred in 1989 — the first and only other time the weather service issued a blizzard warning in the L.A. area.”
The mountains surrounding L.A. have received a large amount of snowfall, with some areas receiving around four feet while other surrounding mountains have been predicted to get up to 8 feet of snow. According to the LA Times, the rare event of recent snow has closed the slopes at Mt. Baldy Resort: “The forecast is so significant that the Mt. Baldy Resort, which most winters doesn’t get enough snow to operate all of its runs, has closed its slopes.”
The snow storm has impacted SoCal in various ways. Residents in San Bernardino have been shoveling snow while highways have been blanketed with it, causing some Californians to get trapped in their homes.
One picture of a San Bernardino resident clearing snow in a CNBC article is captioned, “Robert Hallmark, who says that this is the worst snowstorm of his 31 years living here, clears snow at his home.” Additionally, the snow storm has caused road closures and has also left houses throughout San Bernardino with blocked driveways and slippery streets.
According to SCVNews, “The flood watch was issued for areas throughout Los Angeles County.”
Snow also occurred in cities near Azusa Pacific, such as Upland and Rancho Cucamonga. The snowfall was light compared to other parts of Southern California, yet residents in Rancho Cucamonga were still surprised to see snow out their window. Photos were posted to social media sharing the rare occurrence of front yards blanketed in snow.
I spoke to a few students, asking them what they thought about the recent precipitation. Junior psychology major Joanna McCann said, “I thought it was really cool having snow so close to us in the mountains this year. A lot of beautiful snow was seen on the mountain tops.” After the snow storm, the mountain tops of Mt. Baldy were blanketed in white. It was a sight to see for local residents.
Sophomore criminal justice major Jissel Ibarra said, “I was shocked to see snow really close by since it usually doesn’t snow this close to us. Also, it was my first time seeing snow up in the Azusa Canyons.”
This rare moment in Southern California’s history has become challenging for some residents. It has also shocked many residents in LA county to have snow outside their front porch.