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Ready for more rain in SoCal? Rare late-season storm to hit during Easter weekend

A boy jumps over a rain puddle as his sister runs behind him at Santa Monica Pier.
Ian Romash, 7, jumps over a rain puddle as his sister, Mara Romash, 4, runs behind him at Santa Monica Pier on Saturday.
(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)
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For the third straight weekend, it will be wet in Southern California.

A potentially significant storm could arrive in the region this weekend — a rare sight for this time of the year, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm is expected to land in Los Angeles County late Friday afternoon and continue through Easter Sunday, said National Weather Service meteorologist Robbie Munroe.

Much of the Los Angeles Basin could get 1 to 2 inches of rain, with a possible 3 to 4 inches in the foothills and mountains.

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A woman was rescued from the L.A. River as powerful bursts of hail hit areas including Santa Monica, downtown L.A., Pasadena, Monrovia and Covina.

March 24, 2024

As it gets further into spring, the jet stream, which is the main source for storms during the winter, slowly lifts back to the north, Munroe said. For this upcoming storm, it appears that the jet stream will dip all the way into Southern California. With the energy going that far south and the stream being potent and slow-moving, those elements could fuel a significant, late-season storm.

Munroe said it’ll all depend on whether the storm comes in weaker and quicker or if it comes in stronger and slower. In the latter scenario, the L.A. Basin could receive 2 inches or more of widespread rain.

“It really depends on what flavor of storm we’re getting,” Munroe said. “If it’s on the high end, it would be ranked among the top five or so storms we’ve had this water year.”

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A more significant storm would also mean widespread flooding at lower elevations, stronger winds, potential for thunderstorms and heavier snow in the higher mountain elevations, according to Munroe.

California was hit by a monster atmospheric river storm that killed at least nine people, left record rainfall and caused mudslides in the Southland.

Feb. 8, 2024

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