Countywide : Heavy Rain Expected From Latest Storm

Orange County enjoyed a sunny Wednesday, but the second of two Pacific storms is expected to bring heavy rain and thunderstorms today and sporadic showers Friday.

Though the first storm missed the county, it brought moisture to the air, resulting in Wednesday’s sunny but humid weather.

“The last storm basically whimpered out as it went on land,” said meteorologist Dean Jones of WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times. “It dissipated quite rapidly. This (second) storm definitely has a lot more potency than the last one.”

Forecasters are expecting one to four inches of rain in the valleys and along the coast and two to five inches in the mountains.

Some thunderstorm activity may produce locally heavy rain today, Jones said.

The expected rainfall is renewing threats of flooding and mudslides in areas of the county where earlier rains have saturated the soil.

City officials and residents in areas threatened by mudslides have been preparing for the worst, covering hillsides with plastic tarps and setting up sandbags.