Countywide : Rain Expected to Clear Today, Recur Thursday

Weather forecasters say that Tuesday’s rains are likely to return on Thursday, following a one-day respite marked by low clouds and some patchy fog this morning with fair skies this afternoon.

The storm is expected to continue through mid-Friday and to bring moderate rain to the coast and possibly heavy rain in mountain areas, said Curtis Brack, a meteorologist with Weatherdata Inc.

Tuesday’s rain ranged from .19 inches in El Toro to immeasurable traces in Laguna Beach and Dana Point. Other Orange County cities reporting rain were Anaheim, .17 inches; Newport Beach, .10 inches, and Santa Ana, .11 inches.

Tuesday’s showers, according to Brack, resulted from a low-pressure system that began in the Gulf of Alaska over the weekend, traveled south over Northern California on Monday and was reported to be continuing inland today. Thursday’s predicted rains, he said, would result from a new storm system now following the same route.