Storm Alert: Cold storm to hit California and Arizona
February 18, 2013
Produce Industry News reports today that the coldest storm of the season is expected to roll through California and much of the Southwest during the middle of the week. Growers are anticipating possible freezing conditions in the storms wake Thursday and Friday. Reports suggest that there will be widespread lettuce ice on Thursday and Friday with warming possible on Saturday.
The storm is expecting to make travel difficult along the Grapevine, other passes and the high deserts. It is expected to hit Northern California tonight and Southern California Tuesday. A cold front will cross the Central Coast Tuesday morning moving from Monterey Bay to Santa Barbara in the afternoon. Rain totals are expected to be .5 inch to .7 inch with the heaviest rain falling in the Santa Maria region.
According to Western Weather Expert Ken Clark, “snow will mix in as low as 2,000 feet in Northern California and to 2,500 feet in Southern California with several inches of snow as low as 3,000 feet.” Temperatures are expected to drop from 20-30 degrees from this weekend in many areas of the Southern western U.S. according to Accuweather. During the week the storm is expected to affect a large swath of the country causing conditions ranging from snow and ice to rain and severe thunderstorms.
We will keep you posted of any produce damage that may occur from these conditions.
