It Was So Cold In Southern California In 1949, Snow Fell In Los Angeles For 3 Straight Days
By Natasha Kayes|Published December 15, 2022
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Natasha Kayes
Author
I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
It is pretty safe to say that no one hears “Southern California” and thinks of snow or even cold weather for that matter. In fact, the temperature in Los Angeles rarely gets anywhere near freezing, even on winter nights. However, once in a while, even this warm weather state gets a real winter storm. The coldest winter in Los Angeles was in 1949 and it brought with it an unusual snowfall.
It started on Monday, January 10, 1949, during what has been called the worst housing shortage in the city’s history. At noon, snow began to fall, and it continued - sometimes intermingled with rain and sleet - for three full days. It wasn’t until Thursday that residents heard forecasts of rising temperatures.
Up to two feet of snow fell and covered parts of the city. It was even heavier in the hills around the city. Snow even covered beach communities nearby.
People scrambled for normally-unneeded supplies like tire chains and thermal underwear. The newspapers reported that a shop owner in Alhambra put out a sign that said, “Snow Plows for Rent — Hurry!”
The snowstorm caused a record gas shortage, which led a large aircraft company in San Diego to close down temporarily. According to the Los Angeles Times, the city was sent a snow shovel as a gift from the city of Reno, Nevada.
Snow and ice on the hilly streets throughout the city made for difficult, and even dangerous driving conditions. There were reportedly hundreds of minor car accidents, and sadly, a few more serious ones.
The snow reached as far as Catalina Island, 22 miles off the coast, to the major surprise of its residents. Apparently, it even confused tropical birds housed on the island and made them fly upside down!
Thanks to YouTuber Airbaja for sharing this incredible capture of the snow storm!
Although light snows have happened from time to time in Los Angeles, the 1949 storm was unprecedented, and nothing quite like it has occurred since. Did you know about the coldest winter in Los Angeles? Have you ever experienced snow in L.A.? We want to hear about it! Of course, snow does cover some Southern California towns in higher elevations every year. Here is one snowy town in SoCal where winter is downright magical.
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