Strong, Cold Storm Expected; Mudslides ‘a Good Possibility’

A potent storm from the Gulf of Alaska is expected to pummel Southern California with hail, snow, heavy rain and thunder late today, posing a renewed threat of destructive mudslides below Orange County hills denuded during last fall’s devastating brush fires.

The storm, which could last through Sunday, is expected to drop up to two inches of rain in Orange County and as much as a foot of snow at mountain resorts.

“It’s a pretty strong early-spring storm, stronger than usual for Southern California,” said Bruce Thoren, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc. “There’s definitely a good possibility of mudslides in the burn areas. And it’s going to be pretty cold, too, with the snow level down to 3,000 feet in some areas.”

Forecasters said the storm--which struck Northern California late Wednesday and began working its way down the coast--is expected to move inland across Santa Barbara and Ventura counties sometime this afternoon, reaching this area before nightfall.

Thoren said the precipitation here will begin with light rain, shifting to heavier rain, with thunderstorms and hail during the night.

“Some of the thunderstorms could be severe,” Thoren said. “That means winds at up to 55 m.p.h. and hail as big as three-quarters of an inch in diameter.”

The National Weather Service said the rain will continue, off and on but occasionally heavy, through Friday and Saturday and possibly into Sunday.

“Storms like this are hard to gauge, but there’s a pretty good moisture tap this time,” Thoren said.

In Orange County, Thoren said, the precipitation should range from an inch in coastal areas to two inches in the mountains, unless the storm system connects with a subtropical system now between Hawaii and Baja, producing even greater rainfall.