Power Outage Affects 120,000 Households Near LA Amid 'Historic Blizzard'

by Kim Eunha

Published 26 Feb.2023 14:23(KST)

LA Blizzard Warning for the First Time in 34 Years... Additional Snow and Rain Forecasted

Unprecedented heavy snowfall and snowstorms along the U.S. West Coast and Southern California caused power outages extending to the lowlands of Los Angeles, foreign media reported on the 25th (local time).

According to foreign media including AP, the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) assessed the snowstorm that hit Southwestern California as unusually powerful. It announced that in some areas, rain turned into snow, resulting in snowfall even at low elevations of 305 meters above sea level.

Snowstorm warnings were issued for mountainous areas, along with flood warnings. Due to strong winds knocking down utility poles, about 120,000 households in California are experiencing power outages. Portions of the West Coast's Highway 5 are closed due to heavy snow and ice.

Image source=AP Yonhap News

The LA regional weather office stated, "A large amount of rain and snow fell over the past few days at elevations where snow rarely falls," describing the storm as powerful. On the morning of the same day, three mobile homes were swept away in the Santa Clara River in the Valencia area north of LA County.

This LA blizzard warning is the first in 34 years since 1989. In San Diego, further south of LA, a blizzard warning was issued for the first time ever.

The weather service forecasted, "Already, 60cm to 90cm of snow has accumulated on mountain summits, and more snow is expected to continue."

Meanwhile, the southeastern region, which is outside the influence of the Arctic air mass, is experiencing unusually mild weather. Washington DC set a new February high temperature record for the first time in 149 years since 1874. On the 23rd, the daytime high temperature reached 27 degrees Celsius.