After an already exceptionally wet winter, Southern California is set to see yet another heavy storm move through the region, the National Weather Service said Monday.
Starting on Tuesday, March 14, a warm atmospheric river system will arrive, bringing up to 5 inches of rainfall to some valley regions and up to 8 inches in mountain communities, which could cause flooding in areas still recovering from storms in January and February.
Another storm is expected to come through 3/14 – 3/15 with expected up to 4″ & . We continue to make the necessary resources (sand, bags, and firewood) to our mountain residents. Free & bring a shovel for sand! Sandbag info, visit County Fire at https://t.co/BDiIgJ1zSB. pic.twitter.com/N67oU5jW2P
— SBCounty (@SBCounty) March 13, 2023
“This winter, we’ve gotten into this pattern where we’ve got a continuous stream of super moist storms coming into California, which has given us a lot of rain,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Stephanie Sullivan.
Rain will likely begin in the evening on Tuesday, continuing into Wednesday morning. Rain could fall at a rate of one inch per hour in some areas of Ventura and Los Angeles counties, with isolated thunderstorms also possible. A flood watch is in effect for most of Southern California through Wednesday. Snowfall is predicted above 7,000-8,000 feet in elevation, but below that, precipitation will fall mainly as rain.
Coastal Santa Barbara could receive up to 5 inches of rain. The Los Angeles Basin can generally expect about 2 1/2 inches. The San Fernando Valley is expected to receive around 2 to 3 inches of rain. Long Beach will likely see just over 2 inches. Southern Santa Barbara County and extreme western Ventura County mountains could get receive 4 to 8 inches of snow, the NWS said.
Coastal Orange County could see 2 inches while Riverside could get three quarters of an inch to 1 inch on Tuesday and another quarter to half an inch on Wednesday. The San Bernardino County Mountains may see 3 to 5 inches of rain.
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The rain could mean trouble for mountain communities, where some residents are still digging their homes out of deep snow even as the main thoroughfares in and out of the mountains reopened over the weekend.
San Bernardino County officials said on Monday that they were working to prepare for the storm.
“We’re already working to inform the community to inform them about the risks,” said San Bernardino County representative David Wert. “Public Works crews are examining all of the flood control facilities to make sure they’re clear of debris and snow, and they’re watching the forecast.”
The San Bernardino County Fire Department announced there will be additional staffing ahead of the storm.
By late Wednesday, the storm will have mostly passed, with clear skies and drier weather for a few days. The NWS, however, has noted that another storm system could form next week.