LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A cold storm out of the gulf of Alaska will generate showers in the Southland and snow in the mountains before clearing out Saturday night, forecasters said.
The storm was some 500 miles to the west over the Pacific Ocean this morning and expected to slide into Southern California tonight, remaining through Saturday, said National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall.
Along with showers this evening, the storm is expected to produce 1-3 inches of snow in the San Gabriel Mountains at around the 5,000-foot level, far above The Grapevine, meaning no major impacts are expected over the Interstate 5 corridor, Hall said. At sea level, between a tenth and a quarter-inch of rain is expected while in the mountains, the storm could generate between a quarter and a half-inch of rain, he said.
As of this morning, no mud slides or debris flows are expected over burn areas, but that could change if a thunderstorm parks itself over slopes denuded by wildfire, Hall said, adding that the chance of thunderstorms is slight late tonight and Saturday morning.
Partly cloudy skies were forecast in L.A County today, along with highs of 62 on Mount Wilson; 67 in Avalon; 72 in Palmdale, Lancaster Long Beach and at LAX; 75 in Saugus; 76 in Burbank; 77 in Downtown L.A. and San Gabriel; 78 in Pasadena; and 79 in Woodland Hills; Amid showers, highs will be as much as 17 degrees lower Saturday. But temperatures will then climb and reach 82 Tuesday.
The NWS forecast sunny skies in Orange County today and highs of 59 degrees on Santiago Peak; 67 in Laguna Beach; 68 in San Clemente and on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 69 in Newport Beach; 73 in Fremont Caanyon; 75 in Trabuco Canyon and Mission Viejo; 76 in Fullerton and Yorba Linda; 77 in Irvine; and 78 in Anaheim. Showers are forecast Saturday, along with highs as much as 16 degrees colder. But highs reaching 75 are expected Tuesday.
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