Scattered showers expected Sunday through Monday in L.A.
A storm system has moved through Los Angeles County heading east, and while a majority of the heavy rain has already dumped onto the region Sunday morning, scattered showers are expected throughout the day and possibly into early Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
Parts of the Los Angeles region woke up to a flood advisory Sunday morning, and less than an inch of rain. Both have since ended.
“This is when the weather gets a little more wild, technically, because we’re starting to see some more differential heating on the Earth,” said Todd Hall, a meteorologist at the weather service.
There have been small showers popping up in Burbank, Glendale and downtown Los Angeles.
The showers are “very scattered in nature, and they’re not really organized, so it’s very hard to pinpoint exactly where these will form,” said David Gomberg, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Oxnard office.
Gomberg said some areas in the region may stay completely dry while others might get additional light to moderate showers. This weather pattern will continue into Monday.
Snow levels are expected to drop at high elevations, but some places, such as the northern Ventura County mountains, could have wet snow, so drivers should be cautious.
Gusty winds are expected in portions of the Mojave Desert as well.
“Just like in the ocean, we have waves. The atmosphere behaves the same way,” Hall said.
The total rainfall through Sunday night is anticipated to be between 0.5 and 1.5 inches. On average across L.A., temperatures on Sunday are expected to reach a high of 65 degrees — a full 26 degrees lower than the high recorded a week ago.
Dry and warm weather is expected to return after Monday.
“A little bit cooler temperatures today and tomorrow, definitely a little bit of a change with all the warm weather we’ve been having,” Gomberg said.
Temperatures are forecast to climb to more than 75 degrees later in the week and reach nearly 80 degrees next Saturday.
Winter storm advisory for Santa Barbara, Ventura counties
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory until 11 a.m. for parts of Santa Barbara County’s interior mountains and southern and northern Ventura County mountains, including the cities of Big Pine Mountain, San Rafael Mountain, Ozena, Topatopa Mountains, Matilija, Mount Pinos, Lockwood Valley, Rose Valley and Figueroa Mountain.
Up to 6 inches of wet snow could fall above elevations of 6,000 feet. Snow levels will be around 7,000 feet through Sunday morning, then lower to 6,000 feet Sunday afternoon, and 4,500 to 5,000 feet by late Sunday night into Monday morning.
The snow could impact the Monday morning commute.
Heavier rain — including some thunderstorms — is expected in other parts of California such as the counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura, the National Weather Service Los Angeles said Saturday afternoon on X.
Wind gusts north of Point Conception in Santa Barbara County could come with risks such as downed trees or power lines. Major flooding and debris flows are unlikely, the social media post said.
Up north, the San Francisco Bay Area has already been experiencing the severe weather. Heavy rain hammered the region Saturday, and wind gusts were expected to reach up to 28 mph. The National Weather Service was advising people to allow extra time for travel because of the slippery roads.
Winter storm warnings issued in Central California
Elsewhere throughout the state, the weather service issued a winter storm warning for parts of Central California until 11 p.m. Sunday.
The affected areas include Devils Postpile, Cedar Grove, Johnsondale, Giant Forest, Lake Wishon, Wawona, Huntington Lake, Lake Thomas Edison, Lodgepole, Florence Lake, Tuolumne Meadows and Shaver Lake.
Parts of Central California could see up to 14 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 45 mph. Visibility could drop below a quarter of a mile due to falling and blowing snow, the NWS says. Whiteout conditions could make travel “potentially life-threatening.”
