Following a warm start of autumn, the Santa Clarita Valley got its first taste of rain, with parts of Agua Dulce and Acton even seeing some snow Saturday.
California Highway Patrol officers conducted traffic breaks at the summit of the Grapevine due to freezing temperatures Saturday and heavy snowfall Sunday, as the snow level dropped to 3,000 feet in the afternoon.
As of 8 p.m Sunday, the Grapevine remained open, though assessments for a shutdown as part of Operation Snowflake will continue to be made as conditions change, according to Officer Josh Greengard, a spokesman for the CHP Newhall-area Office.
“(The) freeway is open, but is moving slowly, as we are escorting the vehicles through,” Greengard said.
“It was not even raining, but within minutes it started with lightning and thunder and then snow,” Sally Bond wrote in an email, regarding the quick weather change in Agua Dulce Saturday.
“The storm system is still moving through, so the Santa Clarita Valley will see some shower activity this afternoon and into this evening,” National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall said, “while parts of Canyon Country and the Grapevine may see a dusting (of snow) in the foothill areas, as some snow accumulates.”
While rainfall in the SCV is expected to be, in general, fairly light, with some areas remaining dry while others are wetter, it’ll continue to be showery into the evening, Hall added.
In addition, 40-45 mph wind gusts are expected, as the storm is rolling through.
Although sunny skies will return Monday, a cold air mass out of Canada developing Sunday night is set to keep temperatures cooler than normal for this time of year through the week in the SCV, with a potential for frost overnight Sunday, Hall added.
