Rain to begin today and will last into Wednesday

Starting at about 10 a.m. this morning, the Los Angeles area can expect rain for about 24 straight hours. There will be a break of a few hours and then it will pick up again through Thursday.

Farther south, in Orange and San Diego Counties, the rain will begin a few hours later, but it will last through Thursday and into Friday Morning.

The mountain areas should expect snow later in the day, lasting all night. It could change to rain later on Wednesday and then back to snow as the temperatures drop in the evening.

A major winter storm has been slamming California since Sunday, causing massive flooding and high surf advisories up and down the state. Parts of the I-5 and the I-80 were closed due to the flooding and excessive snow, in the Lake Tahoe area.

While the weather in Northern California will be more severe than here in southern California, residents in the lower latitudes of the state should prepare for a long period of rain. We can expect some flooding in the low-lying areas as well as continued high surf advisories. The National Weather Service warns, “… minor tidal overflow will be possible in low-lying beach areas away from structures during the times of high today.”

The highest tide is expected between 7 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. this morning.

Some experts predict this storm will wipe out or greatly effect the drought that has plagued the state for about a decade.

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UPDATE, Jan. 11: The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory.

At 609 AM PST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated moderate to locally heavy rain continuing to fall between the Palos Verdes Peninsula to the San Gabriel Foothills. There have been some reports of roadway flooding around the Altadena area.

There could be some minor mud and debris flows around the Fish and Resevoir Burn Areas this morning. Highest rainfall rates have been between a quarter to a third of an inch per hour in the areas mentioned. Rainfall rates this high will cause urban and small stream flooding in the advisory area. Rain should become more widespread later this morning into this afternoon when there will be a slight chance for thunderstorms.

A flash flood watch is in effect from 9 am this morning for the Fish,Reservoir and Sand Burn Areas through this evening. Beware of falling rocks and boulders if driving through canyons due to the persistent rain over the last several days as well.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include:

Long Beach, Chino, Seal Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Whittier, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Pasadena, Griffith Park, Culver City, Downtown Los Angeles, Inglewood, Santa Monica, San Dimas, Venice, Manhattan Beach, Glendora, Beverly Hills, Alhambra and West Covina.

In Orange and San Diego Counties a beach hazards advisory has been issued due to high surf and King Tides, which peak between 6-8 feet this morning, depending on the area, with surf at 3-5 feet. Residents should expect some coastal areas to be flooded at these times: beach parking lots, some streets and walkways.

The recent rains have replenished most of California’s reservoirs, which had been severely low due to the drought. Most reservoirs are reported to be at 95 percent capacity or higher.

 

Top photo by Claudia Gestro