There’s a chill in the air, but it’s not just any chill.
Think wind chill. Think about being outside and your skin feels air that is less than 0 degrees.
That was the forecast for the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains on Wednesday night, Feb. 15, as a cold mass of air and winds of 10-20 mph moved in from the north.
National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Gregoria said the low temperatures in Big Bear Lake and Wrightwood were expected to be 8 to 12 degrees, with a wind-chill factor of 1-5 degrees below zero.
“The wind is basically taking heat from your body so it makes it feel colder than the actual air temperature,” Gregoria said.
These low temperatures are unusual, even for the mountain ranges that are home to ski resorts, he said.
It could be worse: The record low for any Feb. 15 in Big Bear is 5 degrees, in 1966. The lowest for any Feb. 16 there is 4 degrees in 1973.
Idyllwild, in the mountains in Riverside County, was expected to be balmy by comparison, with a low of 25 degrees and a wind-chill factor of 10-15 degrees Wednesday night.
Los Angeles County is expected to receive light winds, so the Mt. Baldy and Big Pine areas were expected to get down to 15-20 degrees, with negligible wind chill, said weather service meteorologist Kristen Stewart.
Thursday night into Friday, the forecast was a bit warmer in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains: 20 degrees with a wind-chill factor of 1-5 degrees above 0.
Gregoria urged mountain residents and visitors to dress in layers, covering exposed skin. Or stay indoors if possible.
Big Bear Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Mike Maltby has been with that agency for 30 years. He warned that snow on the road can melt and then re-freeze, creating treacherous driving conditions. Extreme cold can freeze water pipes and even make it difficult to open car doors.
“It sounds funny but it’s probably most difficult to fight a fire in those conditions,” Maltby said. “You sweat a lot, it’s a…
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