Rainfall Expected in Southland

A fast-moving storm system is expected to bring the season’s first substantial rain to Southern California today.

Bill Hoffer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said showers should start falling about noon in downtown Los Angeles, with about a quarter of an inch accumulating before the precipitation tapers off about sunset.

The rain should start an hour or two earlier in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and an hour or two later in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The weather service is forecasting a 60% chance of rain for inland Orange County on Tuesday afternoon and early evening.

Along the coast, light rain is forecast in the afternoon, turning to showers in the evening with partial clearing overnight.

“It’s that time of year again, when the storm systems start moving down along the coast,” Hoffer said. “This one will pick a little additional moisture from out over the Pacific.”

Skies will remain mostly cloudy Wednesday, with partly cloudy weather through the weekend. No more rain is expected through early next week.

Temperatures should remain mild, with highs in the 60s and 70s and overnight lows from the mid-40s to the upper 50s.

Traces of rain fell on downtown Los Angeles in June and early July, but the last measurable rain was 0.01 of an inch April 21.

The rainfall season in Southern California runs from July 1 through June 30.