A slow-moving storm system is expected to dump several inches of rain on Southern California this holiday weekend, potentially putting a damper on any Easter egg hunts and other outdoor plans.
The storm is expected to pass through by Monday, but the National Weather Service warned another one could be right behind it.
The winds will likely pick up Thursday afternoon as another storm moves through Northern California, but they’re not expected to be as bad as last week.
Steady, moderate to heavy rain is expected Friday night before tapering off into lighter showers by Monday.
Most areas are expected to see 1.5 to 2.5 inches, with the mountains and foothills getting up to 3 to 5 inches of rain.
There’s a slight chance of thunderstorms throughout the weekend, but especially during the Easter holiday on Sunday. There’s a remote risk of severe thunderstorms, which could produce hail, wild winds, and even a weak tornado, according to Ryan Kittell, a NWS meteorologist.
The mountains can also expect quite a bit of fresh snow.
Wrightwood, Lockwood Valley, and other areas above 6,500 feet could see between 1 to 2 feet. The snow totals drop off for the lower elevations, but the 5,500 to 6,500 foot range is still expected to see between 6 to 12 inches.
More rain means more risk of flooding, particularly around roads and creeks. If the rainfall totals do end up increasing by inches, Kittell said there could be some neighborhood flooding as well.
As far as mudslides and landslides, any vulnerable areas that have already seen movement this winter should expect the ground to shift even more, Kittell noted.
With wind speeds expected to get up to 40 mph, and some gusts up to 60 mph, prepare for downed trees and power outages.
Once the storm passes through by Monday, Southern California is expected to get a brief break from the wet weather Tuesday and Wednesday.
However, Kittell warned another storm could hit as early as next Thursday.
We’ll just have to wait to see how significant that will be, he said, but expect even more rain right around the corner.
