Just one week after the sexiest early-spring heat wave ever to hit L.A. (a record 92 degrees in March!), we're now looking at a two-day storm to rival that February 2011 killer.

National Weather Service specialist Stuart Seto tells us to expect showers and thunderstorms throughout L.A. County tonight and tomorrow, as well as straight snow in the mountainous areas, falling as low as 2,000 feet.

Could the Hollywood sign be at risk of a Crest-style whitening?

The tourist icon sits at almost 1,700 feet. And Thursday-night temperatures are expected to drop into the low 40s in the basin, just like last time the sign was in graze range.

As usual, snow on the actual letters is unlikely — but we're not ruling it out as a possibility. At the very least, they might see some graupel. You know, “heavily rimmed snow particles often called snow pellets.” (Also known as heavily rimmed buzzkills, for those romantic wonderlandians among us who made the strange decision to settle down in L.A.)

Seto, our weather guy, says snowfall could reach three inches, but stresses that the main event tonight and tomorrow will be the crippling cold.

“Normally, this time of year, downtown is 72 degrees,” he says. “And what we're looking at tomorrow is a daytime high of 58. It's going to be a big change, even from today, which is 64.”

Goddammit. Just when we thought we could break out the Rihanna hotpants for good. Then again, when people are dying in the Midwest, 58 degrees starts to look kind of awesome.

The thunderstorms could get nasty, though, according to City News Service:

Snow levels that could fall as low as 2,000 feet could reduce visibility and create icy road conditions on the Golden State (5) Freeway near the Grapevine by tonight.

Strong onshore winds were expected for Los Angeles County mountains and the Antelope Valley, where a wind advisory was issued. Thunderstorms could hit the region by Friday night.

The main threats with any thunderstorms that develop would be brief, heavy downpours, small hail and dangerous cloud to ground lightning, the NWS said.

That said, best let the YouTube diehards brave the Hollywood Hills for a peek at the sign, and stay safely tucked in our suburban shelters — until the weather decides to go nuts again and bask us in sunburn.

Seriously. If this isn't enough to convince the rightbloggers that global warming exists, we give up for good.

[@simone_electra/swilson@laweekly.com]

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