Temperatures to fall ahead of storm’s arrival

Meteorologists are forecasting light showers and cooling temperatures this week before a storm arrives in earnest Tuesday evening and delivers periods of heavy rain across Southern California, with snow in mountain regions by Wednesday.

Patches of light rain were expected Sunday evening through Monday morning, March 8, especially near the foothills of Los Angeles County, according to the National Weather Service. High clouds that hung over Southern California at the end of the weekend were expected to clear, but a cooling trend should occur over the next several days.

Temperatures are expected to be between 6 and 12 degrees cooler than normal during the first half of the week in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. By Tuesday, highs should fall to 63 degrees in Whittier and Fullerton, 61 degrees in Long Beach and 59 degrees in Rancho Cucamonga and Hemet.

Cooling will continue as a storm arrives from the northwest, according to the weather service. The chance of showers returns Tuesday evening, with patches of rain over most of Southern California

and thunderstorms in some places possible by Wednesday. People along valleys and the coast may experience between .5 to 1 inch of precipitation.

“This will be a good two days or so of rain, but it won’t be all at once,” NWS Meteorologist James Brotherton said.

Communities near foothills could receive about 1.5 inches of rain. Rainfall should be periodic, and won’t be heavy enough to raise concerns over mudslides near recently burned forests, Brotherton said.

Snow may form at elevations as low as 4,000 feet by Wednesday morning, according to the NWS. Snow totals should average between 2 and 4 inches, and some resort communities may receive between 6 and 10 inches of fresh powder. Travelers should expect dangerous driving conditions during the middle of the week as snow accumulates along the Cajon Pass and mountainous portions of the 5 Freeway near Castaic and the Grapevine.

Highs will be 10 to 15 degrees colder on Thursday, and showers should persist across Southern California until the storm leaves the region on Friday. Temperatures may remain cool that day, but were expected to warm up over the weekend.