More Rain Expected Sunday

More rain and snow are expected in Southern California on Sunday, but after that, things could dry out for a while.

Josh Bemus, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., said a “really, really big storm” was heading across the Pacific toward California on Friday night. “It’s going to cloud up and rain on you guys,” he said, “but the worst of it should pass well north of Los Angeles.”

Bemus said sprinkles from the leading edge of the storm should reach the Southland by late tonight, with showers all day Sunday, ending Monday morning.

He said one-half to three-quarters of an inch of rain is expected in the coastal valleys, with up to two inches in foothill communities. Temperatures should warm about 10 degrees, which means the snow level will rise to 6,500 to 8,500 feet, with eight to 16 inches of new snow at resort levels.

“The jet stream is shifting to the north, carrying the storm track with it, so it looks like a slightly drier pattern in Southern California after that,” Bemus said. “There’s no more rain in sight right now.”

That’s welcome news for the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, the state agency responsible for limiting runoff pollution.

Experts say the Southland’s runoff pollution is the worst in the nation. Storm drains flow directly to the beaches, carrying voluminous runoff from streets, parking lots and other paved areas tainted with virus-laden raw sewage, pesticides, petroleum waste and toxic metals.

After rains like those expected Sunday, the county’s entire shoreline, from Malibu to Long Beach, often is closed to swimmers because of the pollution. The federal Environmental Protection Agency is so concerned that it may force the state to increase and enforce runoff cleanup measures in the county.

Bacteria levels near the outflow points of local storm drains remained high Friday, county officials said. Of 32 sites tested in and around the Santa Monica Bay last week, 24 exceeded accepted levels of fecal matter and other forms of bacteria, said Jack Petralia of the county Department of Health Services.

Mark Gold, director of the Heal the Bay project, said the worst pollution was at Surfrider Beach, the Santa Monica Pier, Hermosa Pier and Mother’s Beach in Marina Del Rey. Lifeguards there said they were keeping many swimmers and surfers out of the water because of the pollution and dangerous riptides.

Times staff writer Antonio Olivo contributed to this story.