With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
Slight Chance of Thunderstorms Starts The Week For SoCal
Lightning strikes near downtown Los Angeles, as seen from Echo Park/Historic Filipinotown.
(
Courtesy Javier Carmorlinga
)
While it’s been a warm and sunny start of the week for most of Southern California, there is a slight chance of thunderstorms, heavy rain, and even small hail through Monday night.
The chance of wet weather is expected to spread across Riverside and Orange counties in the afternoon, before moving into Los Angeles and Ventura counties until around 10 p.m. Monday.
A strong thunderstorm with more than 30 mph winds and “pea size” hail is expected to hit parts of O.C., including Fullerton, Newport Beach, and Fountain Valley, through 3:45 p.m., according to a severe weather statement issued by the National Weather Service.
Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told LAist that it’s all being fueled by a low-pressure system that’s been lingering along the California-Arizona border for about a week now.
Support for LAist comes from
Thunderstorms? Again?
Lund said the upper-level, low-pressure system is causing instability in the atmosphere and bringing thunderstorms along with it.
“These thunderstorms could provide a lot of lightning, very locally-erratic and gusty winds, small hail, really brief to heavy showers, and then this will continue through the evening,” she said.
They could pop up anywhere from the mountains to the coast, Lund said, so you might want to consider a change of location if you have any plans outside.
Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors.
“You also want to wait at least 30 minutes after you last hear thunder before you even try to go outside again,” she noted.
Support for LAist comes from
If this feels familiar, that’s because it is. The same low-pressure system sparked a slight chance of storms for the region this past Friday, which led to a severe thunderstorm warning for Norwalk, El Monte, and Downey.
Potential for isolated strong tstms thru this evening for LA, Ventura, Santa Barbara counties. Threats include local strong wind gusts to 50 mph, hail, and isolated dry lightning strikes. Brief heavy downpours possible near core of storms. Photo-Cathy Gregg #LAWeather #LArain pic.twitter.com/YiRd1rAbte
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 18, 2024
It had started out as an “inside slider,” Lund said, which is a system that moves down the coast but doesn’t go over the ocean so it misses a lot of moisture. However, this one has been sitting out over Arizona, occasionally wobbling west and toward Southern California.
“It kind of moved away a little bit, and then it's moving back a little bit today,” she said. “So that's why we're getting thunderstorms.”
Once the weather clears up Monday night, another slight chance of thunderstorms will be right behind it for Tuesday, but that’ll be more for the mountain and foothill areas of L.A. and Ventura counties.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Immigration raids have caused some U.S. citizens to carry their passports to the store, to school or to work. But what documents to have on you depends on your citizenship. -
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million. -
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high.
Best of LAist