With barely 24 hours of dry weather, yet another cold Pacific storm is expected to move into Southern California Thursday bringing moderate rainfall, gusty winds, high surf and mountain snow through Sunday, the National Weather Service reported.
Rainfall, which is not expected to be as heavy as recent storms, is forecast for as early as Thursday with SoCal residents seeing the possibility of light drizzle as they head out to work Thursday morning.
Light, steady precipitation is expected through Sunday with the chance for brief bursts of isolated heavy rainfall over Los Angeles County on Saturday.
Coastal and valley communities could get anywhere from 0.5-1 inch of rain with those in the foothills looking at the potential for 1-2 inches over the four-day stretch.
While rainfall is expected to be moderate, the already-soaked landscape increases the potential for additional mud and rockslides on canyon roads and below steep hillsides.
“Temps will turn cooler to several degrees below normal on Thursday as highs in the upper 50s to mid-60s will be common over the coast and valleys,” NWS said.
“Winds are going to be a big part of the weather story as we move into the weekend,” said KTLA Meteorologist Vera Jimenez.
Southwest winds gusting from 30-50 miles per hour are expected Friday and Saturday, with the strongest blasts hitting mountain communities. From Saturday into Sunday, northwest gusts of 30-50 miles per hour are forecast, which could cause visibility issues from blowing snow and an increased chance of avalanche danger on northeast to southeast-facing slopes at elevations of 7,000 feet or more.
Snow levels are expected at around 6,000 feet Friday night then steadily falling to as low as 4,000 feet by late Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Up to 10 inches of snowfall is possible at 7,000 feet and higher, with 2-5 inches between elevations of 5,000 to 7,000 feet. Elevations of 4,000 to 5,000 feet could see anywhere from 1-2 inches of snow, increasing the potential for traffic delays and road closures, including on the 5 Freeway through the Grapevine Saturday and Sunday night.
High, potentially dangerous surf is expected Friday through Monday, according to NWS.
Breakers of 7-10 feet are likely on west-facing beaches in Ventura County. Beaches in L.A. County could see surf between 3-6 feet, with a chance of surf up to 8 feet at times on west to northwest-facing beaches.
Weather officials also warned of dangerous boating conditions Friday and Saturday as southwest winds could build 12 to 17-foot seas in outer waters.
Commuters should exercise caution over the next several days, watching out for ponding water on roadways or poor visibility and slick conditions due to wind and snow at higher elevations.