Valentine's Day Storm Mixes Cold, Rain and Snow (photos, updated)

Currently 79°F in Moreno Valley, California, USA

Thursday, April 18, 2024 4:27 PM PDT

Valentine's Day Storm Mixes Cold, Rain and Snow (photos, updated)

Posted February 24, 2008, 12:00 AM.

Foothills of some inland valley locations were dusted with snow on Valentine's Day after a southern storm, originally expected to affect Baja California, came further north than predicted and dumped up to half an inch of rain in some areas.

Snow and hail were reported in some spots, including San Jacinto, Glen Oaks (in the Temecula Valley Wine Country), Aguanga, and Beaumont and Yucaipa. Snow was clearly visible on the foothills above the Temecula and San Jacinto valleys yesterday evening as the clouds began to clear out.

The snow and rain was fairly localized. Other inland areas, particularly in the northwest areas of Riverside County, only received a little rainfall.

In Aguanga, east of Temecula and Murrieta and South of Hemet at 2,000 feet elevation and up, snow began falling at 11:00am and continued through the day, heavy at times.

The lingering cold air mass caused freezing conditions in the Temecula and San Jacinto valleys Friday morning. Fallbrook and De Luz also recorded uncharacteristically low temperatures.

Snow on Agua Tibia Mountain, at the western end of the Palomar range just south of Temecula, was especially dramatic. More pictures will follow (we've received many) as we have time to process them.

Photos are courtesy of Charles Monica, Spenser Epperson, Mike Wilson, Sandy Wood, Jeremy Crippen, Douglas Leany, Charlie Cobb, Art Rideout, Jay Lauhon, Robert J. Navarro, Jim Sappington, Deb Brookshier, Mark Wilson, Tony Randazzo, Dave Dempster, Katie Jones, Nancy Maisenbach, Laurie Webster and Denise Sciarra.

Temecula