Another storm is making its way into Southern California, where some areas will see rain as early as Thursday night.
Here's a breakdown of how the storm will play out across the region according to the National Weather Service.
Here is a rainfall timing and intensity graphic, identifying approximate 6-hour window when we expect varying rainfall intensities. Late Thu-Fri will be heaviest SLO/SBA Counties with Fri-Fri night elsewhere.
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 7, 2023
Another atmospheric river rain event possible early next week! pic.twitter.com/K9ysoAZFEk
Los Angeles will see light showers across the region and the peak of the rain is expected to hit around Friday evening according to meteorologist Ryan Kittell. Expect some delays while traveling and minor flooding on the roads.
Snow will fall at higher elevations of 10,000 feet and according to Kittell, it's going to be relatively warm up in the mountains compared to the previous winter storm. That means the average temperatures will be in the 40 degree range rather than dropping to the 20 degree range.
This warm storm system comes from the South near the tropics, compared to last month's winter storm that came from the northern Pacific region.
This warmer rain coming our way creates some issues to watch out for, including snow melt and flooding.
"As that rain hits the snow, you're gonna get snow melt and runoff from that snow melt. That water doesn't really have anywhere to go besides between the snow banks," according to Casey Oswant, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Most of the rain will fall in the mountains between Friday night and Saturday morning, reaching up to two inches of rain in the San Bernardino mountains.
Oswant says mountain residents should prepare for flooding that could damage their property. There's also a risk of avalanches at elevations of 5,000 feet.
And, it's going to be windy up in the mountains, with wind speeds reaching up to 40 mph.
#Caltrans8 crew flew with @sbcountysheriff yesterday for aerial recon and imagery to obtain avalanche assessments in 'Arctic Circle' on SR-18 from Snow Valley to the Big Bear Dam. Here is one that was captured. @CaltransHQ @CA_Trans_Agency @CAgovernor @Cal_OES @SBCounty pic.twitter.com/n3bLfP65QO
— Caltrans District 8 (@Caltrans8) March 8, 2023
#Caltrans8 crew flew with @sbcountysheriff yesterday for aerial recon and imagery to obtain avalanche assessments in 'Arctic Circle' on SR-18 from Snow Valley to the Big Bear Dam. Here is one that was captured. @CaltransHQ @CA_Trans_Agency @CAgovernor @Cal_OES @SBCounty pic.twitter.com/n3bLfP65QO
— Caltrans District 8 (@Caltrans8) March 8, 2023
The National Weather Service warns of possible river flooding over in Santa Barbara County and along the San Luis Obispo coast.
Here's what we are expecting for the upcoming storm. Looking at 4-8" poss for the San Luis Obispo Coast/foothills, 2-4" for the rest of SLO and Santa Barbara Co. This will be much warmer than the previous storms, so rain will likely fall on snow. #socal #cawx #CArain #SLOweather pic.twitter.com/oS2XVy9l7o
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 7, 2023
State law requires residential units to have heating systems that can keep indoor temperatures at a minimum of 70 degrees. That means every dwelling unit and guest room offered for rent or lease should offer heating equipment, usually central air conditioning (A/C) or a wall heater. — Caitlin Hernández
Use heat smartly to save money: Cranking things like the A/C and wall heaters can be expensive. If money is tight, be judicious about how and when you use your utilities. For example, only use heaters at night or only set the thermostat to around 70 degrees.
Open and close those vents: If you have central A/C, look at where the vents are around your home. Are any open in places where you don’t stay long? Practice opening and closing those so warm air only goes where you need it (most vents should have a small toggle lever). Humidifiers can also help you warm things up — and it’s useful to add moisture into our dry air.
Adjust your wall heaters: If you have a wall heater, you can change the output by adjusting the knob (usually at the bottom). Since wall heaters can only warm the areas where they’re placed, it’s essential to close doors to rooms you won’t be in so hot air doesn’t get wasted.
Turn on your ceiling fan (really): If you have a ceiling fan, try turning it on. This sounds counterintuitive, but there’s science behind it. The direction a fan turns can push air in different directions, and since hot air floats up, you’ll want to move that around. Your fan should spin clockwise to create an updraft to circulate. Not all fans will have this option, though.
Here's what you need to know when storms hit Southern California:
