Rain, possible thunderstorms will break SoCal heat streak this week, forecasters say

After a record-breaking warm spell last month that made late winter feel like midsummer, the heat continued into April, with Santa Ana winds fueling local wildfires.

But Southern California will feel more like spring this week as cooler, wetter weather is on the way, forecasters say.

Rain could begin as early as Thursday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and continue through Saturday, with a 70% chance of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service.

SoCal residents can expect up to 1 inch of rain, Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told The Times.

“We are going to begin a cooling trend starting [Monday], which is going to be a few degrees above normal, through Wednesday,” Schoenfeld said. “Thursday through the weekend will be on the cooler side for sure.”

Milder weather is welcome for many after the recent weather whiplash, which experts chalk up to climate change. After intense winter rains, March brought heat and a dry spell. Woodland Hills reached 102 degrees on March 19, breaking the previous record of 96 set in 1997. That same week, Lancaster hit 93 degrees, surpassing its record of 87 set in 2004. Across the Inland Empire, temperatures climbed past 90 degrees, according to earlier Times reports.

After heat and fires, thunder and lightning

In early April, Santa Ana winds fanned the flames of local wildfires. The Springs fire in Riverside County, which prompted evacuation orders, was 95% contained Sunday evening, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and all evacuations had been lifted.

According to the weather service, it’s unclear yet how hot it will be in April.

“It was definitely a really warm March,” Schoenfeld said. “But this doesn’t lock us into any specific [temperature] for April just because March was warm.”

Cooler weather, however, is on the horizon this week, including a 10% to 20% chance of thunderstorms, the weather service warned. Some areas could see storms Friday and Saturday, bringing heavier rain, stronger winds and mudslides, Schoenfeld said.

It could even rain at the Coachella music festival in Indio.

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A storm system headed toward the mountains could drop rain on music lovers if it swings far enough north into the valley, said National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Steward. The last time rain was recorded in the Indio region during early April was in 2020, with a total of 0.8 inches, he said.

Regardless, festivalgoers can expect windier conditions and cooler temperatures throughout the weekend as the high drops from 90 degrees to 80 degrees from Friday to Saturday, with lows in the mid-50s at night, said Steward.

There is also a chance for rain during the second weekend of the festival, on April 17-19, but it’s too early to predict the extent, according to Steward.

Snow is forecast for the mountains Friday, primarily between 7,000 and 9,000 feet. The weather service said it was still uncertain how much would actually accumulate over the wet weekend.

Anyone headed into the mountains is advised to leave all elevated areas if lightning strikes. Drivers are advised to stay inside their vehicles at least 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder. Do not shelter under a tree or use a cliff or rocky overhang, the weather service warns.