Another late-season storm brought showers, heavy at times, to the Southland and was forecast to cause temperatures to fall and produce snow at higher elevations.
“The cooling trend will spread throughout the interior … as onshore flow strengthens ahead of another late season cold upper low dropping south along the West Coast,” according to the National Weather Service. “Low clouds and fog will spread into the valleys … with highs dropping into the 60s to lower 70s.”
The rainfall began Saturday afternoon and was forecast to continue through Sunday, according to the NWS.
Early predictions suggested most of Los Angeles County would receive about a half-inch of rain, with as much as an inch falling in the mountains, although some models showed the region receiving twice those amounts.
Snow levels were expected to initially fall to about 6,000 feet, with several inches of snow anticipated.
By Sunday morning, snow could fall at elevations as low as 3,500 feet, meaning a possibility of some light snow over the Grapevine stretch of the Golden State (5) Freeway, the NWS said. There will also be an additional chance for more showers or possibly thunderstorms Sunday morning, forecasters said.
The National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory lasting until 5 p.m. Sunday for both the western and eastern San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor including Acton, Mount Wilson, Mount Baldy, Wrightwood and Angeles Crest Highway.
A High Surf Advisory was in effect until 9 p.m. Sunday for the Malibu coast and Los Angeles County beaches, with waves of 4 to 8 feet and dangerous rip currents.
The weekend storm system will be followed by several days of warmer and drier weather. “A drying and warming trend will begin Monday and last through next week,” the NWS reported. The agency said the “80s are possible as soon as next Wednesday in the warmer valleys.”