A new storm headed toward the Southland Friday evening, promising heavy rain, mountain snow, stormy seas and wind gusts up to 80 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.
Officials are warning of challenging travel conditions in the mountains, whiteouts, flooding, debris flows and rockslides in several burn areas.
Rain is expected starting late Friday evening or early Saturday, NWS forecasters said. Coastal and valley areas are forecast to receive up to 1 inch of rain per hour during peak rainfall, the NWS said, adding that the snow level in the San Gabriels will fall to 5,000 feet amid winds of 40 to 60 miles per hour.
The impacts expected to result from the storm include flooding, downed trees and power outages, increased accidents and travel delays, shallow debris flows, with more significant flows and flash-flooding possible, rockslides on canyon roads, and winter weather driving conditions in the San Gabriel Mountains, the NWS said.
The storm could trigger mudslides and debris flows down slopes previously denuded by wildfires, including the Woolsey, Hill, Thomas, La Tuna, South and Stone fires, said NWS meteorologist Curt Kaplan.
The city of Burbank has issued voluntary evacuation orders for residents of Country Club Drive above Via Montana, beginning at 5 a.m. Saturday and continuing through at least 4 p.m.
In the San Gabriel Mountains, a winter storm watch is in effect through Saturday afternoon, according to the NWS.
“A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel,” explained the statement.
The snow levels is expected to be at 7,000 to 7,500 feet through Saturday morning and drop to around 6,000 feet by Saturday evening, to between 5,000 and 5,500 feet late Saturday night and Sunday, according to an NWS statement. At times, snow may fall as low as 4,500 feet.
Disruptions are also expected at lower elevations, including “significant wind impacts possible for Interstate 5 near the Grapevine, where very strong gusts of 70 to 80 mph will be possible.”
The storm hails from the Gulf of Alaska and will tap into a band of moisture stretching from Hawaii to California as a low pressure system parks itself over California, NWS meteorologist Todd Hall said.