Gale warnings for offshore waters, rain across the L.A. basin, and the opening of emergency shelters for the homeless were on the agenda for Monday, just two days after a scorching October ended.
A comma-shaped low pressure system was likely to move into Southern California on Monday, squelching the hot weather that had bedeviled the area over Halloween weekend, the National Weather Service said.
Although most of the rain was expected to fall north of the area, the NWS gave “a decent chance” for rain south of the Tehachapi Mountains on Monday afternoon, continuing into Tuesday evening. Two tenths of an inch was the best most of the L.A. area could expect, however.
Temperatures were forecast to drop by up to 20 degrees by Tuesday.
The approaching bad weather comes just as one social agency opened emergency homeless shelters in the eastern San Fernando Valley. Hope Of The Valley said it could handle 120 people at a church in Pacoima, and another 100 at a National Guard armory in Sylmar.
Persons needing shelter were directed by the agency to call (818) 207- 8776 for instructions on pickup times and places.
The cold air behind the storm front could turn the rain to snow at elevations higher than 5,500 above sea level.
Gusty winds from the northwest were also expected, and there was enough instability in the approaching storm to trigger a forecast of possible thunderstorms in the Los Angeles County mountains.
Mariners were warned of a 60 percent chance of gale-force winds in waters beyond the coastal islands, and small craft warnings were issued for the water between the mainland and the Channel islands, including Santa Catalina.
Swells of 10 feet or greater were also predicted.
— City News Service