THIS week, satellite images showed a low-pressure storm system approaching Southern California from the north, bringing with it cooler temperatures and periods of rain.
The late summer storm system, combined with moisture from former tropical Cyclone Linda, brought heavy, predicted scattered showers to the region.
On Tuesday, Sept. 15, heavy rains left thousands without power and caused havoc on local freeways and roads, the California Highway Patrol said.
The Los Angeles Daily News reported “uncertainty” about the trajectory of the expected storm system and the volume of rain it would generate.
However, the National Weather Service (NWS) said coastal slopes and foothills will experience the highest rainfall amounts. Los Angeles County will receive between a quarter-inch and an inch of rain, while other areas of Southern California could get less than a quarter-inch.
On Tuesday, roads were closed due to flooding, and multiple SigAlerts were issued as a result of crashes that occurred on rain-slicked roadways, according to KTLA5.
“Since many areas have seen little or no rainfall in the past couple of months, buildup of oil on the roadways could lead to extra slippery driving conditions once rain starts falling,” the NWS said in a statement.
Moreover, “minor urban roadway flooding will be possible in Los Angeles County, which could be worsened by clogged storm drains and culverts,” it added.
Forecasters noted that since the weather system is the product of a warm mass of subtropical ocean air, it will not produce any snow but will generate high winds, with gusts of more than 40 miles per hour expected in the Antelope Valley and mountain areas.
A wind advisory was in effect from 11 am to 9 pm on Monday, Sept. 14 in the Antelope Valley, with strong gusts expected. More than 6,000 Southern California Edison residents in Ventura County, Ojai, Long Beach and Montebello were without power overnight as a result of electrivity outages, two of which were weather-related.
This week, the strongest winds are forecast to swirl in the western tier of the Antelope Valley, forecasters said. Drivers should beware of crosswinds.
Meanwhile, temperatures will be several degrees cooler than during last week’s heat wave, when highs topped 100.
Temperatures cooled slightly on Wednesday and will begin rising again on Thursday, in time for the weekend.
