Epic winter storm turns Southern California snow white; more rain and snow on the way

LOS ANGELES — Residents in parts of Southern California who have not seen snow in decades woke up to an icy wonderland Sunday morning following an epic winter storm that broke rainfall records and scattered fresh powder across the normally warm, sunny region.

The storm, which originated in the Gulf of Alaska, tapped into an atmospheric river system — a powerful plume of moisture that can deliver large amounts of precipitation. It has moved out of the region, giving Southern Californians a short reprieve from the wet weather.

But don’t put away those umbrellas just yet. More rain and snow is on the way beginning late Sunday.

The frigid conditions dropped snow levels to 1,000 feet in some areas Saturday, enough for snowball fights, snowman building and the unusual sight of foothills glistening with sparkling powder. Mountain communities were slammed by intense snowfall, with Mountain High clocking an impressive 93 inches of snow.

Those who say California doesn’t have seasons should think again, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

“This is definitely much more than your run-of-the-mill Southern California winter storm,”