Another storm is expected to hit Presidents Day weekend. How much rain could we get?
Just when Southern California thought it had seen enough rain, another storm is brewing for the region during Presidents Day weekend — and with it, the possibility of more flooding and mudslides.
Showers are expected to move into western Los Angeles County on Saturday night before drying up Sunday morning, according to National Weather Service forecaster Joe Sirard. Then a second round of rain is forecast to begin Monday afternoon, ramping up during the evening and continuing through Tuesday night. There’s also a shot for showers Wednesday night before the weather turns dry for the rest of the week.
Los Angeles County is expected to receive 1.5 to 3 inches of rain through the entire weather event, according to Sirard. Mountain areas could get 2 to 4 inches, while in Antelope Valley, rainfall amounts are expected to range between 0.5 and 1 inch.
The weather service also issued a flood watch from Sunday night through Wednesday morning for western San Luis Obispo County, central Ventura County, the South Coast, coastal valleys and the mountains of Santa Barbara County. Runoff from the storms could result in flooding rivers, streams, creeks and low-lying, poor-drainage and urban areas. Debris flows and landslides are also possible.
The storm is expected to hit the San Francisco Bay Area from late Friday evening through Sunday morning. The North Bay and coastal ranges could get between 1 and 3 inches of rain, while other parts of the Bay Area could get 0.2 to 1 inch. Another system is expected to hit the region Sunday, bringing widespread rain and wind into Tuesday.
Early February storms deluged the state in historic rainfall, damaging homes, triggering debris flows and mudslides and killing several people in Northern California.
Already inundated by record rainfall, Southern California is facing another major storm Presidents Day weekend that could bring new risks for mudslides and flooding in vulnerable areas saturated with water.
The rainfall for downtown Los Angeles for that five-day period topped 9 inches, which is more than 60% of the city’s annual total.
Because the ground is still drenched from the last storms, Sirard said there’s potential for mudslides and debris flows in L.A. County too. And although the rain isn’t expected to be intense, there are still chances for flooding in low-lying and urban areas because the precipitation is expected to continue for several days.
“Any of those areas that were susceptible to mudslides in the last storm will be more susceptible this time because the ground is already saturated,” he said. “The ground won’t be able to hold much water so that produces more rapid runoff.”
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