Santa Clarita residents should plan to stay bundled up for the next few days, weather officials advised.
While county public health officials issued a cold-weather warning until Friday for the Santa Clarita Valley, the National Weather Service notes the cold is likely to stick around until the weekend, along with some rain, too.
“The next system coming down looks pretty cold, too,” said David Sweet, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “And I would say another shot of rain beginning Thursday night Through Saturday evening.”
The coming rain looks to be a more significant system than the one that moved into the Santa Clarita Valley on Monday, which dropped a little over .2 inches of rain.
The rain totals for Thursday to Saturday could range anywhere from a half-inch to an inch — about double the light rain the SCV just experienced.
“We’re looking at highs in the 50s and low temperatures in the upper-30s and lower-40s,” Sweet said.
County public health officials’ alert noted wind chill temperatures are expected to be below 32 degrees.
“Children, the elderly, and people with disabilities or special medical needs are especially vulnerable during such cold snaps. Extra precaution should be taken to ensure they don’t get too cold when they are outside,” said Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Interim Health Officer. “There are places where people can go to stay warm, such as shelters or other public facilities. We also want to remind people not to use stoves, barbeques or ovens to heat their homes due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.”
Take precautions to protect yourself from the cold:
- Dress in layers of warm clothing if you plan to be outdoors.
- Protect extremities from the cold by wearing a hat, scarf, gloves, and socks.
- Offer to help those in your neighborhood with limited access to heat, such as seniors or those who are ill. Check on them frequently.
- During peak cold times, if you don’t have a heater in your home, visit indoor public facilities such as shopping malls, libraries or senior centers.
- If you have pets, bring them indoors and do not leave them outside overnight.
- If you use an outdoor generator at home, place it at least 10 feet away from all doors and windows to avoid exhaust gases entering the home.
- Stoves, barbeques and ovens can produce a deadly gas known as carbon monoxide when used to heat a home. Never use these appliances in place of approved heaters such as electric, natural gas, or fireplaces.
- Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home to reduce the risk of poisoning.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has a Winter Shelter Program available for those who need shelter. Locations and transportation information are online at https://www.lahsa.org/winter-shelter or by calling the LA County Information line at 2-1-1 from any landline or cell phone. For the deaf and hard of hearing, please call the TDD line at 1-800-660-4026.
