New York has its blizzard; L.A. will have its own storms

While New York is inundated with snow, Los Angeles will have its winter storms.

Mountainous areas of Los Angeles County can expect as much as half an inch of rain, and there’s the possibility of thunder with the first of two storms.

“The main brunt of it will be this evening,” said National Weather Service weather specialist Stuart Seto, adding that rain could trickle into Tuesday.

Some commuters heading to or from Hawthorne already may have felt sprinkles Monday morning, part of what forecasters are calling a weak storm coming into the country from the Southwest.

The storm will hit areas west of the mountains – from the Los Angeles International Airport to Burbank – with a tenth to a quarter of an inch of rain, Seto said, with most of the rain going to mountainous areas of the county such as the Antelope Valley.

Thunder is possible, but no warnings of advisories have yet been issued.

The second storm, more mild than the first, will hit the mountains between Thursday and Saturday, Seto said. It’s unclear exactly how much rain that storm is expected to bring, but Seto said he expected less than a quarter of an inch.

Even with the rain, Seto said temperatures throughout the week are expected to remain just above normal -- 69 to 73 degrees.

Meanwhile, New Yorkers are bracing for what Mayor Bill de Blasio has called “most likely one of the largest snowstorms in the history of this city.”

So, Southern California may be looking pretty good to those on the East Coast.

“I bet you could get a good price for your house right now,” Seto said.

Follow @MattStevensLAT for coverage of the California drought and breaking news