Lake Arrowhead winter weather? (Green Valley: fit in, for sale, real estate)

[Arcticthaw]

I'm looking for information on the winters in Lake Arrowhead, especially when it starts to snow and how long does it stay. I haven't found any data showing snowfall, accumulation etc.

Also we want to be able to jog and hike. We are both from snow states and really would like to minimize our time in snow.

Thanks

[Count David]

Then move to the flatlands!

Here's the newest snow stats (only snowfall) for Lake Arrowhead:

LAKE ARROWHEAD, CA

Jan 3.5
Feb 7.1
Mar 7.2
Apr 2.0
May 0.5
Jun 0.0
Jul 0.0
Aug 0.0
Sep 0.0
Oct 0.0
Nov 0.6
Dec 5.4

Annual 26.3

[Arcticthaw]

We happen to like the hills and mountains. With or without snow.

Thank you for the data. Hopefully someone living in the area can expound a little more upon larger storms. Where we live now 6" is a dusting.

[bouncethelight]

We have hills everywhere in Southern California! I've had friends come in from other countries and states, and refer to our little foothills as mountains - so if you like hilly terrain, you'll be fine here - even if you're technically in what we call the flatlands.

I haven't lived in Lake Arrowhead, but I did live in Idyllwild for a year, and the weather is very similar - Idyllwild is only a little higher in elevation. So if you're only interested in Lake Arrowhead, it may or may not be relevant!

Generally in Idyllwild when it snows, if it's a good amount, it will stick around for a week or so - so if you have friends who want to come up, it has to be the very next weekend, or they will have missed it. Then you'll have a few weeks with little bits of snow here and there, but not enough to worry about. Then another big storm rolls in, and it all repeats. The big storms dropped over three feet on us, but we were up as far as you could go in elevation, without being in the national park, so we always got more than the rest of town.

I lived in Idyllwild during 2008-2009, the worst winter in the last 40 years, and at one point we got snowed in for a week with no power - and I spent all day, each day, all week, digging out the wood pile, so we could stay warm at night. When you're up in the mountains, it's not like being in the middle of civilization - and when things go wrong, you have more of a responsibility to take care of yourself, and take care of your neighbors, than if you lived down the hill.

As for running and jogging... even that winter the snow melted between most storms - so I suppose it would be possible, if you live on sunny side of town. But, in Idyllwild you would have to be careful of icy patches. Little winding mountain roads, and lots of sunshine during the day, and freezing cold nights makes for lots of hidden icy patches. It's slippery to drive, and I imagine even worse to run on. And even worse, the snow plow leaves big berms along the side of each road, which makes narrow roads even narrower, so you would have to be very aware of cars. Maybe it's different in Lake Arrowhead?

My opinion? If you want to jog then you might be happier in a place with a slightly lower elevation - like Garner Valley or Mountain Center - they still get snow, and are still little mountain towns, but are down the mountain some, so it's less snow. Oh, and don't be fooled by the real estate listings for properties in Pinyon Pines that are listed as being in Garner Valley or Mountain Center - Pinyon Pines has more of a desert feel to it - and is close to Palm Dessert - so a very different feel to the place.

[Arcticthaw]

Thanks for the reply,

We have a small lot in the area and was deciding if it fit into our planned retirement lifestyle to build on it, buy something as we love some of the houses we see for sale or like one poster said find something in the warm flatland. Not necessarily California

[Ulysses61]

I live in Lake Arrowhead so I can address your question.

The winters vary dramatically. In the past 10 years we have had yearly snowfalls of up to 75 inches and as little as about 20 inches. The data provided up above in a prior post is wildly inaccurate. This years winter was negligible. However, 2009 was a doozy with two different 3 feet snowfalls overnight.

I run 70 miles a week and do it all on the treadmill in the winter. I don't want to deal with the ice or snow outside, though as I said, some years we have very little snow.

In any case, the snow will not be your primary concern if you commute. The FOG will be your problem. If you have additional questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

[MB8abovetherim]

As with all of California, SoCal is feast or famine with snow. Ulysses61 is right. Lake Arrowhead is normally pretty tame when it comes to snowfall. If you want good snow in SoCal, move to Green Valley Lake. Being from Fairbanks, there will never be a "cold" day in Lake Arrowhead to you lol. Snowfall is higher than in Fairbanks but the difference is that it melts quickly and the precipitation is usually 60% rain and 40% snow for that area. Lake Arrowhead is prefect if you hate the heat of the IE and like a little snow and a nice neighborhood. However, highway 18 is pretty ****** during the winter months with perpetual fog and occasional epic closures do to rockslides and the like. But, it's a small price to pay.

[Ulysses61]

I agree that Arrowhead can indeed be tame with snowfall, but some winters the snow can be extreme. I don't think many places in the lower 48 get 3-4 foot snowfalls. While that's rare, when it happens, things can grind to a halt around here. I've missed 4 straight days of work because the plows never showed up.

Green Valley Lake would be a tough commute if you're working down the mountain. You would go down the 330 which to me is even worse than the 18.

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

However, 2009 was a doozy with two different 3 feet snowfalls overnight.

Yep, that's the same winter I was referring to in my post - except I was in Idyllwild - but definitely a doozy!

[MB8abovetherim]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

I agree that Arrowhead can indeed be tame with snowfall, but some winters the snow can be extreme. I don't think many places in the lower 48 get 3-4 foot snowfalls. While that's rare, when it happens, things can grind to a halt around here. I've missed 4 straight days of work because the plows never showed up.

Green Valley Lake would be a tough commute if you're working down the mountain. You would go down the 330 which to me is even worse than the 18.

Yeah. It's true. For like 3 years in a row the mountains wont really get much of anything. Then the next year it's a series of Epic dumps. There isn't really an "average" in the san bernardino mountains because it's either a below average year or an above average year.

Yes 330 is bad but it is very quick. I guess it would depend on where you are at. But when I lived there I always found it easier than 18. It gets TOO foggy along that road.