Rain showers might return to Southland late Thursday
A slow-moving storm that drenched Southern California was expected to move out of the area by Saturday night, but there’s a chance rain showers could return late next week.
An additional quarter- to half-inch of rain was expected in some areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties by 9 p.m. Saturday, said Stuart Seto, a weather specialist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. A winter weather advisory was to remain in effect until then.
In the mountain areas, gusts up to 45 mph are expected, and up to 6 inches of snow are possible above 5,000 feet. The combination will cause hazardous driving conditions, with icy roads and reduced visibility.
Seto said the snow might reach the Grapevine on Interstate 5.
“So it’s gonna be slippery,” he warned.
A warming trend is expected to start Sunday — just in time for the Academy Awards — though it will remain partly cloudy, with cooler-than-normal temperatures in the lower 60s.
Monday through Thursday could be warm, with Tuesday and Wednesday seeing highs of 77 degrees in downtown L.A..
“It’s going to really beat out what we’ve been having,” Seto said. “Normal this time of year is 67 degrees for downtown.”
There’s a 40% chance of rain starting in San Luis Obispo on Thursday night and then moving south. By Friday, the Los Angeles region will see a 20% chance of rain.