Pacific Storms Jet-Streaming In

The first of two wintry Pacific storms swept into Southern California late Friday, bringing the likelihood of substantial rain and snow that should last, off and on, through Wednesday.

Forecasters said the two storms could drop more than 2 inches of rain in the area, with about twice that much in foothill communities, before things start drying out Thursday.

The Orange County forecast called for mostly cloudy skies and scattered showers, with temperatures ranging from 44 to 55 degrees along the coast and from 40 to 56 inland.

The Tehachapi, San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains are likely to see 16 inches of snow or more at resort levels.

“We’re into our typical stormy winter weather pattern,” said Tim McClung, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

“The jet stream dips south, and it carries the storm track with it,” he said. “It usually happens a couple of times a year, and when it does, we usually get the bulk of our rain and snow for the year.”

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Meteorologists said the high-altitude jet stream winds, which normally direct storms inland over the Pacific Northwest, began swooping down into Southern California earlier this week, dropping temperatures dramatically and scattering a few light showers across the Southland.

Skies cleared briefly, but by Friday night the first storm was starting to drop rain in Santa Barbara County. McClung said those showers should have spread across Southern California by dawn today.

Snowfall should be widespread above 4,000 feet.

McClung said sporadic rain and snow showers, driven at times by gusty winds, are expected to continue into this afternoon, tapering off before nightfall.

“There could be a little break, but there’s a second storm, following the same track, right on the heels of the first one,” McClung said. “That second one looks more powerful than the first.”

Rain and snow should start falling again by Sunday afternoon, continuing through Sunday night, the forecaster said. He said unstable, heavily saturated air behind that storm will probably produce more scattered rain and snow Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Temperatures are expected to remain low throughout the protracted stormy period, with valley daytime highs in the 50s followed by overnight lows in the 30s and 40s. Readings in the mountains above 4,000 feet are expected to remain near or below freezing.