Heavy rain headed for Southern California: flood watches issued

Marc Sternfield
·2 min read
7

California is bracing for heavy rain and mountain snow as an atmospheric river moves into the region this week that will deliver back-to-back storms.

According to the National Weather Service, Northern California and the Central Coast will begin seeing the first storm’s impact early Wednesday. Heavier rain is expected to develop over Southern California on Thursday and continue into Friday.

“This is a big storm,” says KTLA 5 News meteorologist Henry DiCarlo. “The cold front stretches all the way from Canada into Mexico.”

Approaching Storms
Approaching Storms

Rain totals of two to three inches are forecast for the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California’s coastal areas and inland valleys, the Weather Service said. The Central Coast, foothills and mountains could see four to five inches of rain.

There is also a likelihood of thunderstorms and localized flooding. Flood watches have been issued for many areas of Southern California, including San Diego, Orange County, Apple and Lucerne valleys, Coachella Valley, and the mountains of San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Southern California Weather Coverage

Lower elevations of the Inland Empire are expected to see about an inch of rainfall on Thursday, forecasters said.

With the first storm, snow levels are expected to start at around 6,500 feet and drop to as low as 5,500 feet.

“We get a break late Saturday into late Sunday and then we have a second, colder storm that should also pack a punch,” said DiCarlo.

Rainfall potential
Rainfall potential

The second round will impact California sometime between Sunday and Tuesday.

“This storm has a large range of outcomes,” the Weather Service acknowledged in its daily bulletin.

One possible outcome, meteorologists say, shows the storm stalling off the Central Coast and bringing 12 to 24 hours of steady rain, which would increase the risk of flooding.

With the cooler temperatures, snow levels could drop to 3,000 feet.

“This is a storm to keep an eye on,” NWS said.

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