New Year’s weekend weather outlook: Cold, windy with a chance of rain

New Year’s Eve revelers in Los Angeles will see temperatures in the mid to low 40s Thursday night, with slightly colder temperatures expected through the weekend.

Gusty Santa Ana winds could make driving difficult, and some areas could see freezing temperatures, said Robbie Munroe, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Temperatures in the Ojai Valley could dip low enough to endanger livestock and vegetation.

Generally, conditions are slightly colder than they usually are at this time of year, Munroe said.

Friday, the first day of the new year, is expected to by dry and windy, increasing the risk of fire in some areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Even though it’s cold, Munroe said fire risk is more dependent on how dry the fuels are. He cited the Solimar Fire, a recent 1,300-acre brush fire in Ventura County started by downed power lines on Christmas Day, as an example.

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“We’ve had some rain, but we haven’t had a good soaking event in a long while,” Munro said.

On Sunday, there’s a slight chance of rain and snow at higher elevations, with the possibility for precipitation increasing early next week as two separate masses of colder air move into the Los Angeles basin, Munroe said.

The snow is expected at elevations of about 5,000 feet, which means road conditions along the Grapevine and other major mountain passes are unlikely to be affected.

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