Southern California Eyes Chance of Rain This Weekend

Rain is on the horizon for Southern California. While it will not be a significant rain event, the parched region will take any bit of moisture that it can get as crews continue to battle wildfires. Here is a deeper look into what you can expect in the region in the coming days.

Rain on the Way for Southern California

Nobody wants more rain more than residents in Southern California. It has been over two weeks since deadly wildfires broke out in the Los Angeles area, killing dozens of people and burning thousands of structures to the ground.

While the majority of the high winds have eased, forecasters said that breezy conditions will continue to bring a risk of new wildfire ignition through Friday. A new storm is forecast to push along the coast of California beginning Friday and lasting through Saturday. The energy associated with this storm may be powerful enough to bring in moisture from the Pacific, creating the chance of rainfall for the southern portion of the state.

The rain is expected to impact the coastal region as well as into the mountains of Southern California. Coastal locations can expect to pick up about 0.25 to 0.50 of an inch of rain while the mountains will see about 1 inch to 1.5 inches. This forecast is an increase from the rainfall totals predicted earlier in the week, a promising sign that the weather will cooperate for once in this part of the Golden State.

Snow levels will fall to elevations between 4,000 and 5,000 feet. This means that travelers using Tejon Pass will want to check road conditions before heading out on Saturday.

In addition to the expectation of moisture, the weather pattern will also bring higher humidity levels and a weakening of the dry offshore winds that have been the dominant atmospheric element as of late. All of this will be welcome news for firefighters who have been battling Mother Nature over the last several days.

It has been exceptionally dry for Los Angeles this winter. You have to go back to December 24 to find any measurable rainfall in the downtown area. Even then, only 0.02 of an inch of rain was recorded.

Going back to June 1, the weather station in downtown Los Angeles has picked up only 0.16 of an inch of rain. This equates to just 3% of the historical average during this time period. It has been even drier in Santa Monica with rainfall amounts of just 1% of normal. Nearby Burbank has recorded 2% of its historical average of rain during this stretch.

The rain will provide more benefits than just helping to contain the fires. The moisture will also work to clean out the air that has been carrying particulates generated from the wildfire events. The downside will be that the rain will pair with the buildup of chemicals on the road to create slick conditions on the pavement.

Rain Line Will Push to the East Through the Weekend

Some of the rain could travel over the mountainous terrain and hit places such as Palm Springs, Phoenix, and Las Vegas by the end of the weekend and into early next week. For instance, the chance of rain is in the forecast for Palm Springs on Sunday. The mercury will also take a tumble at this time, topping out in the upper 50s on Sunday after highs in the upper 60s on Saturday.

Taking a look at the winds in detail, the forecast is calling for the dry offshore winds to persist into Friday. The windiest time period will be late Wednesday and through early Friday with moderate levels of Santa Ana winds. Gusts will likely range between 40 and 60 mph in the areas that typically see Santa Ana conditions.

The low humidity levels will also persist through at least Thursday. Some areas could see humidity levels drop to between 2% and 5% prior to the arrival of the Pacific moisture.

Looking ahead to the long-range forecast, the next chance of meaningful moisture will hold off until February. The latest models indicate that rain could come between the dates of February 10 to 23. Should no rain fall during this time frame, there is a good chance that the region will miss out on any precipitation well into March. This would be bad news for the ongoing wildfire threat.

Update on California Wildfires

Despite the concern of another major Santa Ana wind event firing up to start the week, Mother Nature was mostly cooperative in keeping the fires in check. As of the last Cal Fire update, the Palisades Fire grew slightly in size, now standing at 23,448 acres burned. This fire is now 68% contained. Also in the Los Angeles area, the Eaton Fire has scorched 14,021 acres and is 91% contained.

Two new fires got started this week, however, crews were able to quickly get a handle on them. The Lilac Fire burned 85 acres and is 90% contained. The Clay Fire has burned 38 acres and is 40% contained.

There have been at least 27 deaths attributed to the fires. This number could still rise as crews are still searching for persons listed as missing.

All of the mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted, allowing most residents to return to their homes.

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