Cold Front Brings Wind And Rain To Antelope Valley, Snow To Big Bear

PALMDALE (CBSLA.com) — A cold front brought gusty winds and rain to the Southland and snow to the mountains of Big Bear Monday.

Winds in the Antelope Valley reached 40 mph in the Palmdale area, with temperatures expected to drop to the 30s in neighboring Lancaster.

Residents said layers were the key to keeping warm Monday. Student Carlos Letona said he regretted leaving his warm clothes at home.

"When I got off of the bus I couldn't feel my face or my ears," Letona said.

At times, the weather was dangerous in Palmdale. Strong winds brought down a large tree in the early morning, though no one was injured.

"I turned pale," said neighbor Kris Tassin, who helped clean up the mess. "I had never seen nothing like this before."

In Big Bear, many drivers were caught off guard by snowfall. But despite the early arrival, many residents said the snow is good for business.

"Oh it's beautiful," said one resident. "Everybody should come up and enjoy it."

Longtime residents said snow as early as Halloween week translates into much-needed dollars for the mountain community.

"Every time the snow drops we're excited, we want everyone to come up and enjoy themselves," another resident said.

Elevations above 5,000 feet are expected to receive between three and six inches of snow through the night.

In Northern California, a foot of snow has already fallen in the upper elevations of the Sierra Nevada, and a 103 mph gust blew across the mountains near Lake Tahoe Monday, according to the Associated Press.