Rain in Southern California, and some of it even made it to the ground
In Southern California in August, even the rain is dry.
A rare spat of drizzly weather hit areas of Southern California on Wednesday and could last into Thursday, ahead of another heat wave that’s forecast for next week, the National Weather Service said. But much of the precipitation didn’t survive the warm air to make it to the ground, an Oxnard-based meteorologist said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a few weather stations in Ventura County, the Los Angeles County mountains and the high desert received a “couple hundredths of an inch,” said weather service meteorologist Kristan Lund.
“A lot of it that’s falling is what we call virga,” Lund said. “That means it’s really dry ... so it doesn’t reach the ground. It rains from the clouds, and that’s kind of creating a wispy look.”
Rain of any amount, however, is uncommon in August in Southern California.
The “rainfall” comes from the remnants of now-dissipated Tropical Storm Eugene, which formed off Baja California earlier this week.
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“We get remnants from time to time,” Lund said, noting that last August, Hurricane Kay fostered similar conditions.
Thunderstorms also popped up off the coast and in the mountains on Wednesday, Lund said, and the weather service said there was a 20% to 30% chance of the gray conditions lasting into Thursday.
The thunderstorms bring with them the risk of wildfire due to lightning strikes in sun-parched vegetation.
“We ask people to be very careful and to stay indoors if they hear any thunder,” Lund said. “Be careful and be aware of your surroundings.”
After the tropical storm remnants pass, this weekend will bring another warming trend, with temperatures expected to peak early next week.
“This weekend, we’re going to see Woodland Hills in the high 80s [and] low 90s,” Lund said, “and see some 80s in [places] like downtown L.A.”
By early next week, temperatures in areas including Woodland Hills and Santa Clarita could reach the hundreds and 90s, respectively, with the coasts remaining cool in the 70s.
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