Los Angeles Daily News
Nov 30 2004

The Southland chatter is coming from teeth

By Dana Bartholomew, Staff Writer

An Arctic blast into the San Fernando Valley has chilled residents to
the bone while sending thousands to the ski slopes during one of the
coldest Novembers in Los Angeles in 90 years.
Frigid winds up to 60 miles an hour lashed Southern California during
a winter-like snap that is expected to turn warm gradually throughout
the week.

“It’s too cold, it’s too cold,” said Shaheen Tegrarian, 61, of
Glendale, bundled up in fleece and flannels inside his Westlake
Cleaners store. “This is not good — I’m scared of the flu.”

Weather forecasters reported frost and wind advisories for parts of
the Valley on Monday, as temperatures were expected to dip into the
upper 20s and low 30s overnight. Highs by late afternoon hit 58 in
Burbank, 58 in Van Nuys, 57 in Woodland Hills, 56 in Thousand Oaks,
51 in Newhall, 50 in Lancaster and 60 in downtown Los Angeles.

The cold front, which moved into Southern California over the
Thanksgiving weekend, brought light rain and snow flurries in the
mountains.

Temperatures are likely to warm up only into the 50s today, then drop
to a freezing 32 degrees tonight.

“This is really winter weather — it’s about as cold as it normally
gets,” said Dave Gomberg, a meteorologist with the National Weather
Service in Oxnard. “It’s definitely the coldest so far this season.”

The chill puts November 2004 on course to become one of the coldest
months in history for downtown Los Angeles, according to the Western
Regional Climate Center.

The average temperature this month was 59.7 degrees. Since weather
data were first recorded in 1914, only a dozen Novembers have fallen
below an average of 60 degrees.

The New Jersey weather even sent weathermen scurrying for their
parkas.

“I got my flight jacket on, Air Force scarf and everything else,”
said Bill Hoffer, an NWS weather specialist.

But as the mercury fell, thousands packed their skis and headed for
the hills for some of the best skiing in recent memory.

Mountain High Resorts reported a record 31 percent spike over its
best Thanksgiving weekend, as 23,000 skiers and snowboarders — 8,000
over its previous record — hit slopes covered with up to two feet of
snow.

The record followed milestones this fall for earliest opening and
best attendance for October and November. Temperatures range from 26
degrees at the base and 23 degrees at the top of the Angeles Forest
resort.

“Best Thanksgiving ever,” said John McColly, spokesman for Mountain
High Resorts. “It’s super-cold. The conditions are incredible.”

Forecasters attribute the sudden drop in temperatures to an unusual
high-pressure dome that caused frigid air from the Gulf of Alaska to
surge into the Great Basin of Nevada, Utah and Arizona, then blow
like an icy Santa Ana into Southern California.

Winds were reported gusting up to 42 mph in Saugus, 52 mph in Malibu
Canyon, 61 mph Monday in Chesebro Canyon in the Simi Hills and 68 mph
in the Angeles Forest.

The California Highway Patrol reported no wind-related traffic
incidents.

Jaime Mintun, a clerk at Rocky Roaster coffees in Canoga Park, said a
palm tree blew over onto her Studio City Apartment complex and
another tree narrowly missed crashing into her cafe.

“My boyfriend just got a motorcycle,” she said. “He borrowed my
gloves and scarf because he’s so cold.”

Yet not everyone minded the chill. As autumn leaves blew gold and red
across the San Fernando Valley, Christmas trees began to sprout on
lots and stores.

“I love it,” said Janice Williams, 62, of Saugus, a native of
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. “More like the holidays; reminds me of
home.”

George Ebrahimian, owner of Arbi Custom Photo in Burbank, said he
appreciates four seasons — and is invigorated by a good fall chill.

“Perfect,” said Ebrahimian, 50, an Armenian native of Iran. “You have
to go out and enjoy — go to the mountains with a bottle of cognac
and one nice Cuban cigar, with an open heart. Blessing to God. Enjoy
the life.”

This month is on course to become one of the coldest Novembers in 90
years in downtown Los Angeles, according to the Western Regional
Climate Center. Only 12 Novembers have fallen below 60 degrees since
1914.

So far this month, temperatures have averaged 59.7 degrees.

The coldest November on record was an average of 58.4 degrees in
1978.

The average temperature for November is 63.1 degrees.

The warmest November was an average of 68.9 degrees in 1932.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress