New storm to bring ‘unusually’ strong winds to Southern California

A storm expected to peak on Tuesday will bring with it some unusually strong winds, forecasters said Sunday.

“The big change this morning was the big increase in winds with this storm. Not super confident but the signs are there for unusually strong winds, especially near the coast,” the National Weather Service tweeted.

The strongest winds are expected to arrive Tuesday afternoon, and officials said wind advisories would likely be in effect over much of Southern California.

“We have a high wind watch out right now for basically all of Southern California,” Connolly said. “As we get closer we’ll decide where high wind warnings or wind advisories are necessary.”

After some light weekend rain, Monday is predicted to remain mostly dry and cool with temperatures in the low 60s along the coastline and inland temperatures in the high 50s, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Samantha Connolly.

Monday could also see some light rain in the afternoon but the stronger system is expected to arrive Tuesday morning and peak between the afternoon and evening.

(1/2) Much heavier rain is expected late Tue morning-evening. Showers and possible thunderstorms continue into Wed ending by Thursday morning. Snow levels start near 5000 ft, increase to 5500-6500 ft, then drop to 4000 ft. Strong and potentially damaging winds are also possible. pic.twitter.com/rDecybc3Ba

— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) March 19, 2023

Los Angeles County should receive about an inch and a half to 3 inches of rain over the coastal and inland communities on Tuesday, with the mountains getting 2 to 4 inches, NWS meteorologist David Sweet said.

On top of the showers, the system will bring heavy wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph over the county, and up to 60 mph gusts in the mountains, he said.

Orange County communities will likely have similar strong winds, with about an inch and a half to 2 inches of rain, Connolly said.

Forecasters said the Inland Empire’s mountain communities would mostly see snowfall over the region, with 8 to 16 inches of snow dropping above 4000 ft., and 16 to 30 inches above 5,000 feet.

In San Bernardino County, recently pounded by a rare blizzard, officials said over the weekend that they are preparing for the storms by having additional resources for snow plowing and storm control, as well as swift-water rescue teams and extra San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies on hand.

A storm is forecasted to arrive in the coming days. It is recommended that you take necessary precautions to ensure your safety and minimize any potential damage to your property. Check out these helpful tips below! pic.twitter.com/Zhowdr8O6W

— SBCounty (@SBCounty) March 19, 2023

The storm is expected to move on Wednesday, though some scattered, light showers are still a possibility.

By Thursday, the rain should stop, with cool temperatures that will likely continue through the weekend.

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