Storm Expected to Drop Up to 5 Inches of Rain in Area

The first of two subtropical storms fizzled Wednesday, but the second is expected to strike Southern California with a vengeance this morning, dropping heavy rain that could bring more mudslides and flooding.

Dean Jones, a meteorologist with WeatherData, said up to four inches of rain is expected in the coastal areas and as much as five inches could fall on the already saturated slopes of the foothill canyons before the storm moves out of the area sometime Saturday.

“There’s still a very high potential for flooding and mudslides,” he said.

In addition, the National Weather Service said more than two feet of snow could fall on the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains by the weekend, snarling traffic on roads above 7,000 feet.

To the north, a winter storm watch was issued for the Lake Tahoe-Truckee area of the High Sierra on Wednesday night. NWS meteorologist Doug Armstrong said more than a foot of snow could fall there by tonight, and winds gusting up to 70 m.p.h. were expected to create blizzard conditions throughout the region.

Jones said the first storm broke up as it moved inland Tuesday night, dropping only a few widely scattered showers as it dissipated over the San Gabriel Mountains.

“It didn’t have a lot of energy to begin with, and it weakened rapidly,” Jones said. “But it moistened the atmosphere, and the second storm, which is a whole lot stronger, is going to wring out a lot of that moisture.”

By nightfall Wednesday, the second storm was centered over the Pacific about 500 miles southwest of Los Angeles and heading this way in a hurry. “This has the potential of being quite major,” the National Weather Service said. Jones said light rain from the storm would start falling shortly after midnight, intensifying through today. “The rain will be locally heavy at times, and there’s a good chance of thunderstorms,” he said. “There will be scattered showers and the chance of some more thunderstorms through Friday and a few lingering showers on Saturday.”

Jones said there should be a brief break Sunday before an Arctic storm brings a chance of additional rain to Southern California on Monday.