Moderate rainfall coming to Southern California, heavier rain off coast

LOS ANGELES — A storm that originated in the central Pacific headed toward Southern California Tuesday and will bring average to moderate rainfall with snow in the mountains, likely from Tuesday night until early Friday, according to National Weather Service meteorologists.

The storm was off the coast of Northern California Tuesday morning and was on a track to drop southeastward, said NWS meteorologist Dave Bruno. He said the heaviest rain will remain off the coast and that much heavier rain would fall on the Southland if the storm’s trajectory were 50 miles to the east.

No mudslides or debris flows were expected in burn zones.

As of early Tuesday morning, there was a 20 percent chance of showers after midnight, then a forecast of showers Wednesday, Wednesday night, Thursday and Thursday night, and a 70 percent chance of showers after midnight, according to the NWS.

A wind advisory will be in effect until 3 p.m. Tuesday in the San Gabriel Mountains and Santa Clarita Valley. Winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour with 45 mph gusts were expected in the mountains. In the Santa Clarita Valley, the wind was expected to blow at 15 to 25 mph with gusts of 40 mph.

The NWS forecast partly cloudy skies in L.A. County Tuesday and highs of 57 degrees on Mount Wilson; 58 in Lancaster; 59 in Palmdale; 63 in Santa Clarita; 64 in Avalon; 67 in San Gabriel; 68 in Burbank and Van Nuys; 69 in downtown L.A., Reseda, Long Beach and at LAX; and 70 in Pasadena and Woodland Hills. Temperatures will drop by as much as 9 degrees Wednesday, then climb by a few degrees Thursday amid showers.

Sunny skies were forecast in Orange County Tuesday, along with highs of 52 on Santiago Peak; 63 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 66 in Laguna Beach; 67 in Fremont Canyon, Newport Beach and San Clemente; 69 in Yorba Linda; 71 in Irvine and Mission Viejo; 72 in Anaheim; and 73 in Fullerton. Temperatures will drop by as much as 9 degrees Wednesday amid rain and rise marginally amid showers Thursday.

In San Bernardino County on Tuesday, highs include 47 in Running Springs; 49 in Big Bear; 58 in Victorville; 63 in Yucaipa; 69 in Fontana and Redlands; 70 in Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga; and 71 in San Bernardino.

In the mountain areas, of San Bernardino County, including Big Bear, there is a 30 percent chance of snow Tuesday night, a 70 percent chance during the day Wednesday, up to an 80 percent chance Wednesday evening, an 80 percent chance during the day Thursday, a 70 percent chance Thursday evening and a 20 percent chance early Friday. Sunny skies are forecast on Saturday.

In Riverside, it will be mostly sunny during the day Tuesday and mostly cloudy Tuesday night. There is a 70 percent chance of rain during the day Wednesday and an 80 percent chance Wednesday evening into Thursday evening and a 20 percent chance before 10 a.m. Friday.

Riverside County high temperatures on Tuesday include 66 in Blythe and Desert Hot Springs; 69 in Hemet, Menifee, Palm Desert, Palm Springs and Perris; 70 in Lake Elsinore and Temecula; 71 in Indio, Murrieta and Riverside; and 72 in Coachella.