Brighter Days Due After Drops

An eastward-drifting cold front pushed light showers through California under a shield of thick clouds Monday--clearing the way for a return to fair skies and warmer weather the rest of the week.

The influx of moisture caused a drop in Southern California temperatures Sunday and Monday, after several days of pleasant, mid-70s weather.

By 4 p.m., .40 of an inch of rain had fallen at San Juan Capistrano, .05 at El Toro, Newport Beach and Santa Ana, .35 at Beaumont, .29 at Point Loma, .25 at El Cajon and Mt. Wilson, .22 at Simi Hills, .19 at Bishop, .18 at Santa Barbara and Avalon on Santa Catalina Island, .17 at Escondido, Torrance, Woodland Hills and Northridge, and .12 at Riverside.

The snow level descended to 6,000 feet in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, and the gray skies combined with lower water and air temperatures to keep all but the most determined beachgoers at home.

But the National Weather Service said higher pressure is building offshore, which should mean a break in the clouds sometime this afternoon, followed by a few days of dry air and sunshine in Orange County and other parts of Southern California. High temperatures are expected to range from the low 60s to 70 and lows in the 50s.

Rainfall amounts were expected to remain generally below half an inch for the entire storm, and forecasters said the chance of rain should be down to less than 30% by this morning.