Heavy rain fell across Southern California Saturday and will continue intermittently across Riverside County through Easter weekend, with gusty winds and possible thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.
A flood watch was in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday for Riverside County. Forecasters warned of possible flooding in poor drainage and urban areas and urged the public to remain alert for rock slides and rocks in the road in the mountain areas.
The NWS said radar detected widespread moderate rain at a rate of a quarter inch per hour at 1 p.m. Saturday that will result in minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
Heavy mountain snow was also creating dangerous travel conditions, with visibility to near zero for drivers, according to the NWS.
Numerous roads were closured in Menifee, including Cherry Hills Boulevard from Northwood Drive to Grosse Point Drive; Sun City Boulevard from Ridgemoor Road to E. Worcester Road; and Ridgemoor Road between Bellwood Drive and Waverly Drive.
In Palm Springs, North Indian Canyon Drive was closed at the wash.
A winter weather advisory was in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday for the Riverside County mountains. Snow levels were expected to fall as low as 5,000 feet.
The storm is accompanied by cold weekend temperatures as well. Daytime temperatures were in the 40s in the mountains, the 50s in the valleys and the 60s in the dessert. Overnight lows were expected to be in the upper 30s and 40s dropping in the 20s in some mountain areas.
“By Monday, the trough becomes elongated and centered over northwest Mexico, but enough instability will remain to continue our chances for scattered, but lighter showers and thunderstorms through Monday morning,” the NWS said. “By the afternoon, the majority of the activity looks to become confined to the mountains, with other areas slowly drying out.”