Get ready to get wet, protesters.
As thousands of demonstrators prepared to converge on downtown Los Angeles on Friday to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump, the second in a trio of anticipated storms was already soaking much of the region.
“Any protests going on in Southern California will most likely be wet,” said National Weather Service forecaster Ryan Kittell. “People need to definitely take precautions, wear some rain jackets, bring umbrellas. … It’s definitely going to be a wet day.”
The storm could deposit up to 2 inches of rain in Los Angeles by the end of the day.
“I guess it’ll match what you see on TV because I think they’re supposed to get a little rain in Washington, D.C.,” Kittell said. “It’ll make you feel like you’re there.”
Parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties were issued warnings of potential thunderstorms, hail and waterspouts.
The Los Angeles Police Department has issued five permits for protests around the downtown area for Friday. Police said they could not provide an estimate for the number of protesters who might show up.
In a tweet, the department warned people to be mindful of the rainy weather and to drive safely.
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A car is stuck in standing water on the southbound 110 Freeway on Jan. 22. (Christina House / For The Times)
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A surfer barely clears a giant wave in Manhattan Beach.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 3/43
People enjoy the snow in Acton.
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 4/43
Elizabeth Wolterbeek plays among rocks in the 200 block of Mel Canyon Road in Duarte on Friday after a mudslide.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 5/43
A girl loses control of her umbrella after being rescued by a Huntington Beach police officer and a tow truck operator. Her family became trapped in their disabled car in the middle of flooded Heil Ave. amid a heavy downpour in Huntington Beach.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 6/43
Commuters navigate a rain-soaked 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday morning, as the first of three storms rolls through Southern California. More storms are expected over the weekend.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 7/43
Palmdale residents Cesar Navarro, left, and his son Cesar Navarro Jr. sled down a snowy hill in Acton.
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 8/43
A fast moving discharge of water spews from the San Gabriel Dam, as a storm front moves through the area.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 9/43
A bicyclist comes to the end of a trail that’s covered in wet sand at Dockweiler State Beach in Playa del Rey.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 10/43
Snow covers boat slips and a lone picnic at Lake Arrowhead on Monday as the latest strom moves through.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 11/43
Debris, including drinking cups, rubber balls and bottles, washes ashore along the Alamitos Peninsula near East Ocean Boulevard and 56th Place in Long Beach on Monday.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 12/43
Dale Ball of La Cañada Flintridge has rain gear for herself and her dogs while walking toward the entrance to Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena on Jan. 23.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 13/43
A car drives through a snowy scene on Shannon Valley Road in Acton.
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 14/43
A city worker uses a snowblower to clear the walkways during a snowstorm at Lake Arrowhead Village.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 15/43
With the road closed to traffic, Paul Doolin rides a skateboard past a fallen boulder that rests on Topanga Canyon Blvd.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 16/43
A city worker shovels the walkways during a snowstorm at Lake Arrowhead Village in the San Bernardino mountains.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 17/43
Jose Villa of Lake Arrowhead clears fresh snow off his windshield during a blizzard in Rimforest, Calif.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 18/43
Snow begins to fall and stick to the road in Crestline, Calif.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19/43
Enrique Nicanor carries plywood on an improvised walkway he made over a flowing creek that damaged the driveway to the house where he works on Iron Canyon Road.
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 20/43
Clearing storm clouds are reflected in the wet sand at low tide in Newport Beach on Monday.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 21/43
County of Los Angeles pubic works equipment clears the flooded creek on Iron Canyon Road.
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 22/43
Niklas Hofverberg and his daughter Bianca Hofverberg, 3 1/2 years old, watch the sun set as storms clouds dissipate in Venice on Monday.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles TImes) 23/43
John Fisher of Altadena looks out toward Devils Gate Reservoir in Pasadena on Jan. 23.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24/43
Westminster resident Shirley Hansen carries her dog Scruffy while she walks through floodwater caused by recent rain on the boardwalk in Seal Beach.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 25/43
A glimpse of blue sky is seen during a break in the rain at Devil’s Gate Reservoir in Pasadena on Jan. 23.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 26/43
Gina Picciolo takes a picture of a boulder that fell onto Topanga Canyon Blvd. Picciolo is a longtime resident in the area.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 27/43
Ward Preston and Gina Picciolo walk past a mudslide along Topanga Canyon Blvd.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 28/43
A Huntington Beach police officer watches a tow truck operator hook up chains to rescue a family from the middle of flooded Heil Avenue after their car stalled in the deep water amid a heavy downpour in Huntington Beach on Jan. 22.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29/43
A rainbow appears over Seal Beach, Calif. on Monday. The tail end of a punishing winter storm system lashed California with thunderstorms and severe winds Monday after breaking rainfall records, washing out roads and whipping up enormous waves.
(Amy Taxin / Associated Press) 30/43
All lanes of the 110 Freeway from Carson Street to 223rd Street were closed Sunday because of flooding. (Christina House / For The Times)
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Jerry Katz stands next to a mudflow at the corner of Mel Canyon and Brookridge roads in Duarte.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 32/43
A Huntington Beach police officer watches a bus drive through flooded Heil Avenue amid a heavy downpour in Huntington Beach.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 33/43
A man looks for a safe way to cross floodwaters flowing from hillsides in a nearby recent burn area on North Iron Canyon Road in Santa Clarita.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 34/43
A Huntington Beach police officer diverts a pickup driver while a tow truck operator hooks up chains to rescue a family from the middle of flooded Heil Ave.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 35/43
Mud and rocks have filled the driveway of a Duarte home along Mel Canyon Road, where residents have been evacuated due to mudslides.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 36/43
Rudy Fuentes stands on the porch of his home on Mel Canyon Road in Duarte, looking out at where mud has taken over his driveway.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 37/43
Police stop traffic on Mountain Crest Road where residents have been evacuated due to incoming storms in the Fish fire impact area in Duarte.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 38/43
Marcus Jenkins selling umbrellas as he shelters under one of his own on Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood as the second of three winter storms begin to drench the Southland Friday.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 39/43
Motorists navigate the flooded lanes of northbound Fairview Street in Santa Ana.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 40/43
Ella Masa, all wrapped in plastic, pushes her two service dogs as she joins an East LA/Boyle Heights group with banners and posters marching from Mariachi Plaza on Friday, protesting President Trump’s inauguration.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 41/43
Umbrellas are necessary on Hollywood Boulevard as the second of three winter storms begins to batter Southern California on Friday morning.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 42/43
A pedestrian scurries across the street under her umbrella in downtown Los Angeles on Friday morning.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 43/43
Paulina Tu takes cover under her umbrella as she waits for a ride in downtown Los Angeles on Friday morning.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) While the rain is expected to impact traffic, so will a number of downtown street closures that are being imposed because of protests.
If thunderstorms do occur, they will take place in the afternoon, throughout the county, Kittell said. The rain is expected to taper off quickly in the evening.
On Saturday, skies are expected to clear up in time for a planned women’s rights march downtown. However, gusty winds could sweep over most of the area, Kittell said.
The third and final storm is expected to arrive early Sunday morning and hit peak intensity in the afternoon. The storm could dump between 2 and 3 inches of rain in coastal valley areas, while some foothill areas could get 4 to 6 inches of rain, Kittell said.
“This one looks like the strongest of the three, and it could be the strongest we’ve seen in a number of years, especially considering our drought,” Kittell said.
brittny.mejia@latimes.com
Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia
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UPDATES:
8:50 a.m.: This article was updated with tweets from the LAPD and the mayor’s office.
This article was originally published at 8:10 a.m.
