LOS ANGELES – Southern California is in for several days of intermittent rain to close out 2022 beginning Tuesday, forecasters said Monday.
Current forecasts call for rain to begin falling in Los Angeles and Orange County on Tuesday afternoon, increasing late Tuesday and early Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.
The NWS said between a half-inch and 1 inch of rain were expected in the coasts and valleys, with 1 to 2 inches in the mountains and hills. Officials said those living near recent burn areas should take special precautions for possible debris flows, and drivers should expect roads to be impacted.
Sunny skies were expected to return Wednesday afternoon, with possible showers Thursday and Friday and rain more likely on Saturday for New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Day was shaping up to be mostly sunny in the afternoon, with a slight chance of showers in the morning.
Snow levels should be well above the major mountain passes for most of the precipitation. North-facing slopes could see light snow as low as 4,000 feet, including over the Grapevine, “but any snow that does fall there should be brief, non-accumulating, and minimally impactful,” according to the NWS.
Wind gusts in the 30-to-45 mph range are expected in the mountains and interior valleys, but no winter weather advisories had been issued for the region as of 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Temperatures will also return to winter-like levels this week after a warm spell, dropping from Monday’s high of 80 degrees in downtown Los Angeles on Monday to 63 on Tuesday, 64 on Wednesday and 60 on Thursday. Overnight lows will mostly be in the 40s and lower 50s, but will drop into the 30s in the mountains and the Antelope Valley.
Early forecasts for next week suggest another storm coming into the area, with three more days of possible rain from Jan. 3-5.
