Rain will douse the Southland this weekend, with rainfall forecast from Saturday until Monday, raising fears of mud flows down fire-stripped slopes, National Weather Service forecasters say.
A moist westerly flow will generate showers Friday into Saturday, mainly in Santa Barbara County and points north, in advance of a Pacific storm, an NWS statement said.
Then, a more well-defined cold front will bring rain to the Southland Saturday night into Sunday morning, it said, but the heaviest downpours from that bout of rain will be in the Central Coast. It will be followed by another wave of rain Sunday night, the statement said.
“From Saturday through Sunday night, rain could be moderate to heavy at times, bringing the potential for urban roadway flooding as well as mud and debris flows in recent burn areas,” it said. “Additional showers will be likely on Monday.”
Strong southwest winds may precede the cold front Saturday night into Sunday morning, especially across the San Gabriel mountains and Antelope Valley, the statement said.
While the forecast remains tentative this morning, the Southland could receive between one and two inches of rain through Monday, while to the north, parts of San Luis Obispo County could receive between three and five inches, according to the NWS.
The snow level will start off above 7,000 feet but is expected to drop to around 5,000 feet by Sunday night and as low as 4,000 feet on Monday, it said. If the snow level does drop, there could be snow on Interstate 5 through The Grapevine on Monday, according to NWS forecasters.
Also in the forecast is an extended period of high surf across west- facing beaches tonight through Tuesday, with the potential for big, damaging surf and coastal flooding by Monday, the statement said.
Then, a new storm could show up next week, according to forecasters.
The NWS forecast partly cloudy skies today and highs of 63 in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach; 64 in San Clemente; 66 in Avalon and at LAX; 69 in Long Beach and on Mount Wilson; 70 in Anaheim and Irvine; 71 in downtown L.A., Mission Viejo and Fullerton; 73 in Yorba Linda and Burbank; 74 in San Gabriel; 75 in Pasadena and Saugus; and 76 in Lancaster, Palmdale and Woodland Hills.
Friday’s temperatures will be marginally lower under mostly cloudy skies, falling back into the 60s in many communities, much the same on Saturday, and — amid rain — slightly lower on Sunday and Monday. Partly cloudy skies are expected Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs reverting to the 70s in several communities.
